I return to them to-morrow. When I say my guests,
I mean the Graybrookes. Don't you know they are staying with me? Sir
Joseph and Miss Lavinia and Natalie?" On the utterance of Natalie's
name, the sisters roused themselves. They turned about and regarded each
other with looks of dismay. Turlington's patience began to fail him.
"Will you be so good as to tell me what all this means?" he said, a
little sharply. "Miss Lavinia asked me to call here when she heard I was
coming to town. I was to take charge of a pattern for a dress, which she
said you would give me. You ought to have received a telegram explaining
it all, hours since. Has the message not reached you?"
The leading spirit of the three sisters was Miss Amelia. She was the
first who summoned presence of mind enough to give a plain answer to
Turlington's plain question.
"We received the telegram this morning," she said. "Something has
happened since which has shocked and surprised us. We beg your pardon."
She turned to one of her sisters. "Sophia, the pattern is ready in the
drawer of that table behind you.
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