Mr. Justice Harbottle by Joseph Thomas Sheridan Le Fanu

In due time Judge Harbottle went circuit; and in due time the judges were in Shrewsbury. News travelled slowly in those days, and newspapers, like the wagons and stagecoaches, took matters easily. Mrs. Pyneweck, in the Judge's house, with a diminished household -- the greater part of the Judge's servants having gone with him, for he had given up riding circuit, and travelled in his coach in state -- kept house rather solitarily at home.

In spite of quarrels, in spite of mutual injuries -- some of them, inflicted by herself, enormous -- in spite of a married life of spited bickerings -- a life in which there seemed no love or liking or forbearance, for years -- now that Pyneweck stood in near danger of death, something like remorse came suddenly upon her. She knew that in Shrewsbury were transacting the scenes which were to determine his fate. She knew she did not love him; but she could not have supposed, even a fortnight before, that the hour of suspense could have affected her so powerfully.