She was excited at the thought of the things that might be happening the other side of the door.

Supposing that Nelly had discovered that life with a poor foot-captain was a more desirable thing than life with a well-endowed baronet, a coming man in the political world to boot! Supposing--there was no end to the suppositions that passed through Mrs.Rooke's busy brain in a few seconds of time.

Then--she entered the room and found emptiness.
"You are sure that neither the Captain nor Miss Drummond left a message ?" she said to the maid who brought the tea.
"Quite sure, ma'am.

I had no idea they were gone." "Do you suppose they went away together, Jane ?" Mrs.Rooke was ready to accept a crumb of possible comfort from her handmaid.
"I do remember now, ma'am, that when I was pulling down the blind upstairs I heard the hall-door shut twice.

I never thought of looking in the drawing-room, ma'am.