Helena followed the maid into Mrs. Elton's room, and gladly lay down upon the bed, as she said, "Margaret"--the maid was an old acquaintance of hers--"if my husband comes--he went to an hotel to be out of the way at first--show him in here, and also Miss Adair; of course you will tell me at once if Miss Elton should get worse."
"Yes, miss--I beg your pardon--ma'am; and now I will go and get you some breakfast."
"It will be useless to bring me anything but a cup of tea, Margaret."
After Helena had taken the tea she fell asleep, and slept for about an hour, when she was awaked by a kiss, and the sound of somebody saying, "Poor Cricket, how unlike itself it looks, doesn't it, Miss Adair?"
As she opened her eyes, and saw her husband and Flora standing beside her, she exclaimed, "Harry, I am so glad that you have come, and Flora too; but----" She covered up her face in her hands, and the tears trickled through her closed fingers.
Margaret now came in, and said, "Mrs. Caulfield, Miss Elton has asked for you."
"Say that I will be with her in a moment," answered Helena, springing off the bed, and hastening after Margaret, as she said to Mr. Caulfield and Flora, "Wait here for me."
She was only a few moments absent, and entering with her handkerchief pressed to her eyes, she took Flora's hand and led her in to Mary, over whose countenance the livid colour of death was fast spreading.
Flora felt awe-stricken as she thought that not six-and-thirty hours had passed since she saw her in the ball-room, and silently she went over and knelt down beside the bed, as Mary said in a hollow voice, "Flora Adair, can you forgive me?"
"It was right that I should know it, Mary."
"Yes, that I understand; but can you forgive me for having tried to lower you in his opinion by falsehood, and every means in my power, and finally for insinuating to you that he was deceiving you by not telling you of his marriage, although he knew that you could not be his wife in the sight of your Church if that were known?"
Mary paused, and Flora, shuddering, said, "It was very cruel, the bare suspicion of it tortured me; but I did not believe it, or it would have driven me mad. But, Mary, what had I ever done to you that you should have thus sought to harm me?"