He had expected to meet Daisy in the hall, but she was nowhere in sight,
and she who appeared in response to the card he sent up seemed confused
and unnatural to such a degree that Guy asked in some alarm if anything
had happened, and where Daisy was.
Nothing had happened--that is--well, nothing was the matter with Daisy,
Mrs. McDonald said, only she was nervous and not feeling quite well that
morning, and thought she had better not come down. They had not expected
him so soon, she continued, and she regretted exceedingly that her
husband was not there, but she had sent for him, and hoped he would come
immediately. Had Mr. Thornton been to breakfast?
Yes, he had, and he did not understand at all what she meant; if Daisy
could not come to him he must go to her, he said, and he started for the
door, when Mrs. McDonald sprang forward, and, laying her hand on his
arm, held him back, saying: "Wait, Mr. Thornton; wait till husband comes--to tell you--"
"Tell me what?" Guy demanded of her, feeling sure now that something had
befallen Daisy.
"Tell you--that--that--Daisy is--that he has--that--oh, believe me, it
was not my wish, and I don't know now why it was done," Mrs. McDonald
said, still trying to detain Guy and keep him in the room.
But her efforts were vain, for, shaking off her grasp, Guy opened the
hall door, and with a cry of joy caught Daisy herself in his arms.
In a state of fearful excitement and very curious to know what was
passing between her mother and Guy, she had stolen downstairs to listen,
and had reached the door just as Guy opened it so suddenly.
"Daisy, darling, I feared you were sick," he cried, nearly smothering
her with his caresses.
But Daisy writhed herself away from him, and, putting up her hands to
keep him off, cried out: "Oh, Guy, Guy, you can't--you mustn't. You must never kiss me again or
love me any more, because I am--I am not--oh, Guy, I wish you had never
seen me; I am so sorry, too. I did like you. I--I--Guy--Guy--I ain't
your wife any more! Father has got a divorce!"
She whispered the last words, and then, affrighted at the expression of
Guy's face, fled half-way up the stairs, where she stood looking down
upon him, while, with a face as white as ashes, he, too, stood gazing at
her and trying to frame the words which should ask her what she meant.
He did not believe her literally; the idea was too preposterous, but he
felt that something horrible had come between him and Daisy--that in
some way she was as much lost to him as if he had found her coffined for
the grave, and the suddenness of the blow took from him for a moment his
powers of speech, and he still stood looking at her when the street door
opened and a new actor appeared upon the scene in the person of Mr.
McDonald, who had hastened home in obedience to the message from his
wife.