y
with Mary Millward (sensible girl as she was), that if all the parish,
ay, or all the world, should din these horrible lies in my ears, I would
not believe them, for I knew her better than they.

Meantime, my brain was on fire with indignation, and my heart seemed
ready to burst from its prison with conflicting passions. I regarded my
two fair neighbours with a feeling of abhorrence and loathing I scarcely
endeavoured to conceal. I was rallied from several quarters for my
abstraction and ungallant neglect of the ladies; but I cared little for
that: all I cared about, besides that one grand subject of my thoughts,
was to see the cups travel up to the tea-tray, and not come down again.
I thought Mr. Millward never would cease telling us that he was no
tea-drinker, and that it was highly injurious to keep loading the stomach
with slops to the exclusion of more wholesome sustenance, and so give
himself time to finish his fourth cup.

At length it was over; and I rose and left the table and the guests
without a word of apology--I could endure their company no longer. I
rushed out to cool my brain in the balmy evening air, and to compose my
mind or indulge my passionate thoughts in the solitude of the garden.

To avoid being seen from the windows I went down a quiet little avenue
that skirted one side of the inclosure, at the bottom of which was a seat
embowered in roses and honeysuckles. Here I sat down to think over the
virtues and wrongs of the lady of Wildfell Hall; but I had not been so
occupied two minutes, before voices and laughter, and glimpses of moving
objects through the trees, informed me that the whole company had turned
out to take an airing in the garden too. However, I nestled up in a
corner of the bower, and hoped to retain possession of it, secure alike
from observation and intrusion. But no--confound it--there was some one
coming down the avenue! Why couldn't they enjoy the flowers and sunshine
of the open garden, and leave that sunless nook to me, and the gnats and
midges?

But, peeping through my fragrant screen of the interwoven branches to
discover who the intruders were (for a murmur of voices told me it was
more than one), my vexation instantly subsided, and far other feelings
agitated my still unquiet soul; for there was Mrs. Graham, slowly moving
down the walk with Arthur by her side, and no one else. Why were they
alone? Had the poison of detracting tongues already spread through all