She recalled
the alarm of George in the morning, which it was impossible for him to
disguise, and she thought she recognised in this hurried message and
vague assurances of safety something of the same apprehension, and the
same fruitless efforts to conceal it.
Now came the time of terrible suspense. Sarzana was nearly twenty
miles distant from Spezzia. The evening must arrive before they could
receive intelligence from Captain Cadurcis. In the meantime the squall
died away, the heavens became again bright, and, though the waves were
still tumultuous, the surf was greatly decreased. Lady Annabel had
already sent down more than one messenger to the bay, but they brought
no intelligence; she resolved now to go herself, that she might have
the satisfaction of herself cross-examining the fishermen who had been
driven in from various parts by stress of weather. She would not let
Venetia accompany her, who, she feared, might already suffer from the
exertions and rough weather of the morning. This was a most anxious
hour, and yet the absence of her mother was in some degree a relief to
Venetia; it at least freed her from the perpetual effort of assumed
composure. While her mother remained, Venetia had affected to read,
though her eye wandered listlessly over the page, or to draw, though
the pencil trembled in her hand; anything which might guard her from
conveying to her mother that she shared the apprehensions which had
already darkened her mother's mind.
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