She had not disturbed Sisily on the previous night.

She had tried her door on her way to her own room, but it was locked, so she had let the girl sleep on, and deferred breaking the tragic news until the morning.
She now paused outside the door reluctantly.

But she was not the woman to shrink from a duty because it was unpleasant, and womanly sympathy for her unhappy niece banished her diffidence.

She knocked lightly and entered.
Sisily was seated by the window reading.

A breakfast tray, still untouched, stood on a small table beside her.