ad of giving it a more tangible shape
she tried to devise means of keeping the little girl with her, and,
when the latter had been called away by the nurse, found an excuse for
following Madame de Chantelle upstairs to the purple sitting-room. But
a confidential talk with Madame de Chantelle implied the detailed
discussion of plans of which Anna could hardly yet bear to consider the
vaguest outline: the date of her marriage, the relative advantages of
sailing from London or Lisbon, the possibility of hiring a habitable
house at their new post; and, when these problems were exhausted, the
application of the same method to the subject of Owen's future.

His grandmother, having no suspicion of the real reason of Sophy Viner's
departure, had thought it "extremely suitable" of the young girl to
withdraw to the shelter of her old friends' roof in the hour of bridal
preparation. This maidenly retreat had in fact impressed Madame de
Chantelle so favourably that she was disposed for the first time to talk
over Owen's projects; and as every human event translated itself for her
into terms of social and domestic detail, Anna had perforce to travel
the same round again. She felt a momentary relief when Darrow presently
joined them; but his coming served only to draw the conversation back to
the question of their own future, and Anna felt a new pang as she heard
him calmly and lucidly discussing it. Did such self-possession imply
indifference or insincerity? In that problem her mind perpetually
revolved; and she dreaded the one answer as much as the other.

She was resolved to keep on her course as though nothing had happened:
to marry Darrow and never let the consciousness of the past intrude
itself between them; but she was beginning to feel that the only way of
attaining to this state of detachment from the irreparable was once for
all to turn back with him to its contemplation. As soon as this desire
had germinated it became so strong in her that she regretted having
promised Effie to take her out for the afternoon. But she could think
of no pretext for disappointing the little girl, and soon after luncheon
the three set forth in the motor to show Darrow a chateau famous in the
annals of the region. During their excursion Anna found it impossible to
guess from his demeanour if Effie's presence between them was as much
of a strain to his composure as to hers. He remained imperturbably
good-humoured and appreciative while they wen