Fairfax, but could find no trace of her. He now called again.
"You will remember," he said, "my inquiry about Mrs. Fairfax: can you
tell me anything about Mrs. Leighton?" He put his hand in his pocket
and pulled out five shillings.
"She isn't here: she went away when her husband died."
"He died abroad?"
"Yes."
"Where has she gone?"
"Don't know quite: her friends wouldn't have anything to do with her.
She said she was going to Plymouth. She had heard of something in the
dressmaking line there."
He handed over his five shillings, procured a substitute for next
Sunday, and went to Plymouth. He wandered through the streets but could
see no dressmaker's shop which looked as if it had recently changed
hands. He walked backwards and forwards on the Hoe in the evening: the
Eddystone light glimmered far away on the horizon; and the dim hope
arose in him that it might be a prophecy of success, but his hope was
vain. It came into his mind that it was not likely that she would be
there after dusk, and he remembered her preference for early exercise.
Pages:
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261