she had almost
determined merely to refer him to Maria, instead of telling the story
herself. She should not see him again till dinner. He was gone into
the country: the day was gloomy and cold, and Hester was not disposed to
leave the fireside: so Margaret issued forth, with thick shoes,
umbrella, and muff--guarded against everything that might occur overhead
and under foot. She had generally found hope, or at least comfort,
abroad; to-day, when she ought to have been much happier, she found
anxiety and fear. The thought, the very words, would incessantly recur,
`If he is not engaged to Miss Bruce, it does not follow...' Then she
seriously grieved for her brother, and the troubles which she feared
awaited him; and then she reproached herself with not grieving enough--
not having attention enough to spare from her own concerns. While she
was walking along on the dry causeway, looking straight before her, but
thinking of far other things than the high-road, she was startled by the
stroke of a horse's foot against a stone close by her side, and a voice
speaking almost in her ear. It was only Edward. He was going a couple
of miles forward, and he brought his horse beside the raised causeway,
so that they could converse as if walking together.

"There is nobody to overhear us, I think," said Margaret, looking round.
"I have been wanting, since yesterday evening, to speak to you alone--
about something very disagreeable, which I would not disturb Hester
with. You, of course, can do as you please about telling her."

She related to him the whole story of Mrs Rowland's imputations and
proceedings--her reports of the hysterics and their origin, the
body-snatching, and the cause and mode of Mrs Enderby's removal.
Margaret had always considered her brother as a man of uncommon nerve;
and her surprise was therefore great at seeing him change colour as he
did.

"We shall agree," said she, "that the worst of all this is, that there
is some truth at the bottom part of it."

"Oh, Heavens!" thought Hope, "is it possible that Mrs Grey can have
told the share she had in my marriage?" It was but a momentary fear.
Margaret went on.

"I have never hoped--I never hoped at Birmingham, and much less here--
that Hester could escape the observation of her neighbours--that her
occasional agitation of spirits should not excite remark and
speculation. As we are not quite whole and sound in our domestic
peace--(I must speak plainly,