Maria; but Maria should have time and
solitude in which to reconcile herself to it.

What was to be done about Mrs Enderby? She had been told at once, on
Philip's arrival, that it was all a mistake about Miss Bruce; and she
had appeared relieved when freed from the image of an unknown
daughter-in-law. Philip and Margaret agreed that they must deny
themselves the pleasure of revealing the rest of the truth to her, till
it had been inflicted upon Mrs Rowland. Mrs Enderby would never be
able to keep it from the Greys; and she would be disturbed and alarmed
in the expectation of the scenes which might ensue, when Mrs Rowland
should discover that her brother meant to choose his wife for himself,
instead of taking one of her selection. Margaret must go and see his
mother as often as possible, but her new interest in her old friend must
be concealed for the present. How Margaret--motherless for so many long
years--felt her heart yearn towards the old lady, who seemed to be
everybody's charge, but whom she felt now to be a sacred object of her
care!

The lovers immediately experienced some of the evils attendant on
concealment, in the difficulty of meeting as freely as they wished.
There was the breakfast-room at Mr Hope's for them; and, by a little
management on the part of brother and sister, a branching off in country
walks, out of sight of the good people of Deerbrook. In company, too,
they were always together, and without awkwardness. True lovers do not
want to talk together in company; they had rather not. It is enough to
be in mutual presence; and they have nothing to say at such times, and
prefer joining in what everybody else is saying. When Philip had once
put a stop to all congratulations about Miss Bruce, by earnestly and
most respectfully, though gaily, releasing that lady's name from all
connection with his own, no further awkwardness remained. He treated
the affair as one of the false reports which are circulating every day,
and left it for his sister to explain how she had been misled by it. It
was amusing to the corner-house family to see that Mrs Grey and Sophia
insisted on believing that either Mr Enderby was a rejected lover of
Miss Bruce's, or that it had been an engagement which was now broken
off, or that it would soon be an engagement. The gay state of Enderby's
spirits accorded best with the latter supposition; but this gaiety might
be assumed, to cover his mortification. Margaret was dai