She was easily
consoled, however, and fell back on the double reflection, firstly, that
her son was pure, and secondly, that she was quite sure he would not have
been so had it not been for his religious convictions which had held him
back--as, of course, it was only to be expected they would.
Theobald agreed that no time must be lost in paying Ellen her wages and
packing her off. So this was done, and less than two hours after Dr
Martin had entered the house Ellen was sitting beside John the coachman,
with her face muffled up so that it could not be seen, weeping bitterly
as she was being driven to the station.
CHAPTER XXXIX
Ernest had been out all the morning, but came in to the yard of the
Rectory from the spinney behind the house just as Ellen's things were
being put into the carriage. He thought it was Ellen whom he then saw
get into the carriage, but as her face had been hidden by her
handkerchief he had not been able to see plainly who it was, and
dismissed the idea as improbable.
He went to the back-kitchen window, at which the cook was standing
peeling the potatoes for dinner, and found her crying bitterly. Ernest
was much distressed, for he liked the cook, and, of course, wanted to
know what all the matter was, who it was that had just gone off in the
pony carriage, and why? The cook told him it was Ellen, but said that no
earthly power should make it cross her lips why it was she was going
away; when, however, Ernest took her _au pied de la lettre_ and asked no
further questions, she told him all about it after extorting the most
solemn promises of secrecy.
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