A moment's hesitation; then:
'A piece of money rolled down behind the shelf on which the books
are; there is a gap at the back. I suppose that is how the will fell
down.'
His eye was now steadily fixed upon her, coldly scrutinising, as one
regards a suspected stranger. Adela was made wretched by the
inevitable falsehood. She felt herself reddening under his gaze.
He seemed to fall into absent-mindedness, then re-read the document.
Then he took out his watch.
'The people are out of church. Come and show me where it was.'
With a deep sense of relief she went away to put on her bonnet. To
escape for a moment was what she needed, and the self-command of his
voice seemed to assure her against her worst fears. She felt
grateful to him for preserving his dignity. The future lost one of
its terrors if only she could respect him.
They walked side by side to the church in silence: Mutimer had put
the will into his pocket. At the wicket he paused.
'Will Wyvern be in there?'
The question was answered by the appearance of the vicar himself,
who just then came forth from the front doorway. He approached them,
with a hope that Adela had not been obliged to leave through
indisposition.
'A little faintness,' Mutimer was quick to reply. 'We are going to
look for something she dropped in the pew.
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