OnleavingthecourtaletterfromMrDawsonwasputintomyhand。Itinformedmethathewasabsentonprofessionalduty，anditreiteratedtheofferIhadalreadyreceivedfromhimofanyassistancewhichImightrequireathishands。Iwroteback，warmlyacknowledgingmyobligationstohiskindness，andapologisingfornotexpressingmythankspersonally，inconsequenceofmyimmediaterecallonpressingbusinesstotown。
HalfanhourlaterIwasspeedingbacktoLondonbytheexpresstrain。
[NextChapter][TableofContents]WomaninWhite：Chapter37[PreviousChapter][TableofContents]Chapter37XIIItwasbetweennineandteno’clockbeforeIreachedFulham，andfoundmywaytoGower’sWalk。
BothLauraandMariancametothedoortoletmein。Ithinkwehadhardlyknownhowclosethetiewaswhichboundusthreetogether，untiltheeveningcamewhichunitedusagain。Wemetasifwehadbeenpartedformonthsinsteadofforafewdaysonly。Marian’sfacewassadlywornandanxious。IsawwhohadknownallthedangerandborneallthetroubleinmyabsencethemomentIlookedather。Laura’sbrighterlooksandbetterspiritstoldmehowcarefullyshehadbeensparedallknowledgeofthedreadfuldeathatWelmingham，andofthetruereasonofourchangeofabode。
Thestiroftheremovalseemedtohavecheeredandinterestedher。SheonlyspokeofitasahappythoughtofMarian’stosurprisemeonmyreturnwiththechangefromtheclose，noisystreettothepleasantneighbourhoodoftreesandfieldsandtheriver。Shewasfullofprojectsforthefuture——ofthedrawingsshewastofinish——ofthepurchasersIhadfoundinthecountrywhoweretobuythem——oftheshillingsandsixpencesshehadsaved，tillherpursewassoheavythatsheproudlyaskedmetoweighitinmyownhand。ThechangeforthebetterwhichhadbeenwroughtinherduringthefewdaysofmyabsencewasasurprisetomeforwhichI