He was looking at Lady Mary as he spoke.

Her face was deathly; her little frail hand grasped the table.
"Sir Timothy," said the canon, "I--I have a communication to make to you." "On this subject ?" said Sir Timothy.
"A letter from Peter." "Why did you not say so earlier ?" said Sir Timothy, harshly.
"I will explain, if you will kindly give me five minutes in the study." "A letter from Peter," said Lady Mary, "and not--to me." She looked round at them all with a little vacant smile.
John Crewys, who knew nothing of Peter's letter, had already grasped the situation.

He divined also that Lady Mary was fighting piteously against the conviction that Sarah's news was true.
"How could we guess you did not know ?" said Mrs.Hewel, almost weeping.
"I am still in the dark," said Sir Timothy, coldly.
"Birch will explain at once," said the doctor, impatiently.
"Peter writes--asking me,--I am sure I don't know why he pitched upon me,--to--break the news to you, that he has joined Lord Ferries' Horse; feeling it his--his duty to his country to do so," said the unhappy canon, folding and unfolding the letter he held, with agitated fingers.
"I knew there would be a satisfactory explanation," said Mrs.Hewel, tearfully.

"Dear Lady Mary, having so inadvertently anticipated Peter's letter, there is only one thing left for me to do.

I must at least leave you and Sir Timothy in peace to read it.