d been expecting. To return from
London to Exeter without seeing her dear friend would be so unfeeling
and unnatural! She must have come to Durton Lodge or must have
returned to Exeter. In fact, she so put it as to make it appear
impossible that she should not have come.

"My dear Miss Altifiorla," said Mr. Western, "I am sure that Cecilia
is delighted to see you. And as for me, you are quite welcome." But,
as a fact, there she was. There was no sending her away again;--no
getting her out of the house without a sojourn of some days. Whatever
mischief she might do might be done at once. There could be no doubt
that she would begin to talk of Sir Francis Geraldine and declare the
secret which it was now the one care of Cecilia's mind to keep away
from her husband. It mattered not that her presence there showed her
to be vulgar, impertinent, and obtrusive. There she was, and must be
dealt with as a friend, or as an enemy. Again Cecilia almost made up
her mind as to the better course. Let her go to her husband and tell
him all, and tell him also why it was that she told him now. Let her
endure his anger, and then there would be an end of it. There was
nothing else as to which she had need to dread him.

But again, when she found herself with him, he was happy, and jocund,
and jested with her about her friend. She could not get him into the
humour in which it was proper that he should be told. She did not
tell him, and went down to dinner with the terrible load about her
heart. Three or four times during the evening the conversation was
on the point of turning to matters in which the name of Sir Francis
Geraldine would surely be mentioned. With infinite care, but without
showing her care, she contrived to master the subject, and to force
her friend and her husband to talk of other things. But the struggle
was very great, and she was aware that it could not be repeated. The
reader will remember, perhaps, the stern thoughts which Miss Holt
had entertained as to her friend when her friend had thought proper
to give her some idea of what her duty ought to be in regard to her
present husband. She remembered well that Miss Altifiorla had written
to her, asking whether Mr. Western had forgiven "that episode."
And her mother, too, had in writing dropped some word,--some word
intended to be only half intelligible as to the question which Miss
Altifiorla had asked after the wedding breakfast. She knew well what
had been in the woman