Adela went to church.
Mutimer returned to his lodgings, leaving his friend Waltham smoking in
the garden.

On the way home after service, Adela had a brief murmured conversation
with Letty Tew. Her mother was walking out with Mrs. Mewling.

'It was evidently pre-arranged,' said the latter, after recounting
certain details in a tone of confidence. 'I was quite shocked. On _his_
part such conduct is nothing less than disgraceful. Adela, of course,
cannot be expected to know.'

'I must tell her,' was the reply.

Adela was sitting rather dreamily in her bedroom a couple of hours later
when her mother entered.

'Little girls shouldn't tell stories,' Mrs. Waltham began, with
playfulness which was not quite natural. 'Who was it that wanted to go
and speak a word to Letty this afternoon?'

'It wasn't altogether a story, mother,' pleaded the girl, shamed,
but with an endeavour to speak independently. 'I did want to speak to
Letty.'

'And you put it off, I suppose? Really, Adela, you must remember that
a girl of your age has to be mindful of her self-respect. In Wanley you
can't escape notice; besides--'

'Let me explain, mother.' Adela's voice was made firm by the suggestion
that she had behaved unbecomingly. 'I went to Letty first of all to tell
her of a difficulty I was in. Yesterday afternoon I happened to meet Mr.
Eldon, and when he was saying good-bye I asked him if he wouldn't come
and see you before he left Wanley. He promised to come this afternoon.
At the time of course I didn't know that Alfred had invited Mr. Mutimer.
It would have been so disagreeable for Mr. Eldon to meet him here, I
made up my mind to walk towards the Manor and tell Mr. Eldon what had
happened.'

'Why should Mr. Eldon have found the meeting with Mr. Mutimer
disagreeable?'

'They don't like each other.'

'I dare say not. Perhaps it was as well Mr. Eldon didn't come. I should
most likely have refused to see him.'

'Refused to see him, mother?'

Adela gazed in the utmost astonishment.

'Yes, my dear. I haven't spoken to you about Mr. Eldon, just because I
took it for granted that he would never come in your way again. That he
should have dared to speak to you is something beyond what I could have
imagined. When I went to see Mrs. Eldon on Friday I didn't take you with
me, for fear lest that young man should show himself. It was impossible
for you to be in the same room with him.'

'With Mr. Hubert Eldon? My dearest mother, what ar