"
The Grange looked unchanged in its sombre lonely aspect. The
chrysanthemums were all withered by this time, and there were now no
flowers in the old-fashioned garden. The bell was answered by the same
woman who had admitted him before, and who made no parley about letting
him in this time.
"My young missus said I was to be sure and let her know if you came,
sir," she said; "she's very anxious to see you."
"Your young mistress; do you mean Mrs. Holbrook?"
"No, sir; Miss Carley, master's daughter."
"Indeed! I remember the young lady; I shall be very happy to see her if
she has anything to say to me; but it is Mrs. Holbrook I have come to
see. She is at home, I suppose?"
"O dear no, sir; Mrs. Holbrook has left, without a word of notice, gone
nobody knows where. That is what has made our young missus fret about it
so."
"Mrs. Holbrook has left!" Gilbert exclaimed in blank amazement; "when?"
"It's more than a week ago now, sir."
"And do none of you know why she went away, or where she has gone?"
"No more than the dead, sir. But you'd better see Miss Carley; she'll be
able to tell you all about it."
The woman led him into the house, and to the room in which he had seen
Marian. There was no fire here to-day, and the room had a desolate
unoccupied look, though the sun was shining cheerfully on the
old-fashioned many-paned windows.
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