But it became suddenly necessary to say something, and, speaking at random,
his head full of whirling words, he said--

'Of course nothing could be more sad than my poor uncle's death,--so
unexpected... Having lived so long together, you must have----' Then it was
Hubert's turn to look appealingly at Miss Watson; but her great eyes seemed
to say, 'Go on, go on; heap cruelty on cruelty!' Then he plunged
desperately, hoping to retrieve his mistakes. 'He died about a month ago.
Mr. Grandly told me I should still find you here, so I thought----'

The intensity of his emotion perhaps caused Hubert to accentuate his words,
so that they conveyed a meaning different from that which he intended.
Certainly his hesitations were capable of misinterpretation, and Miss
Watson said, her voice trembling,--

'Of course we know we have no right here, we are intruding; but we are
making preparations.... I daresay that to-morrow we shall be able to----'

'Oh, I beg pardon, Miss Watson; let me assure you ... I am sorry if----'

Taking a little handkerchief out of her black dress, Emily covered her face
in her thin, tiny hands. She sobbed aloud, and ran out of the room. Hubert
turned to Mrs. Bentley, his face full of consternation.

'I am very sorry, but she did not give me time to speak. Will you go and
fetch her, Mrs. Bentley? I want to tell her I hope she will never leave
Ashwood. ... I believe she thinks that I came down here to ask her to leave
as soon as possible. It is really quite awful that she should think such a
thing.'