extended towards Lady Grant, took care that they two
should not be at once left together again. Mrs. Holt was studiously
civil, but always with a feeling that Mr. Western and Lady Grant were
brother and sister. It was probable that the sister would take her
brother's part and consequently be at any moment converted into an
enemy. The first evening at Exeter was passed very uncomfortably
by the three ladies. But on the following morning a conference was
demanded. "My dear," said Lady Grant, "we have got to discuss all
this and we may as well do it at once. What does your husband mean
when he says that you were still engaged to Sir Francis when you
became engaged to him?"

"Has he said so?"

"Yes; indeed."

"Then he has said what is altogether untrue. Nor is there the
slightest ground for such an untruth. Everything between me and Sir
Francis Geraldine was over before we had gone to the Continent. Why;
I left England in consequence of the shock it gave me to have to
abandon him. Does he know,--does your brother know what I told you?"

"He did not know it when he wrote to me."

"I suppose not. I should think he would send some message. As a
rule he is soft-hearted, although to me he has become suddenly so
inexpressibly cruel."

"But you understand now the cause of his displeasure?"

"Not in the least," said the angry wife. "I know of no cause for his
displeasure. Displeasure! I know of no cause to justify a step so
terrible as this."

"Though the statement may be untrue as you say--"

"It is untrue. It is altogether untrue."

"But he has believed it!"

"Why has he believed it? Why; why?"

"Ah indeed; why?" said Lady Grant. "I suppose that no lie becomes
prevalent in the world for evil without some fault on the part of
somebody. Even though it may not have been expressed in exact terms,
some false person has intentionally spread it abroad. And then a man
in his wrath, when he hears the lie will distort it, and twist it,
and aggravate it,--to his own wrong and to that of others."

"But my own husband! Him whom I so passionately loved!"

"And who so passionately loved you! It was because of that that the
lie has so rankled! And, Cecilia, dear, let us be altogether open to
each other."

"I have concealed nothing from you," said Mrs. Western proudly.

"Nor wilfully from him. But you had kept from him a detail of your
past life,--of your life not long since past, which, as you yourself
felt, ought to have