Kept in the Dark

that Mr. Western would think more of the matter if it were represented to him that his wife had been jilted, and had been jilted unmistakably before they two had met each other on t

und to hear it. Sir Francis was a beast fo

had put it off, and put it off,-and then the fitting time had passed by. When she was with him alone after their marriage she could not do it,-without confessing her fault in that she had not done it before. She could not bring herself to do so. Standing so hig

ost idolatrous to her in these first days of their marriage, but then he had found nothing out. Cecilia knowing his character asked herself after all what there was to be found out. How often that question must occur to the girl just married. But there was nothing. He was pleased with her person; pleased with her wit; pleased that mone

g, and never have been in love before," he

he answered him, but it was a matte

ime. But she let the moment pass by. Though she was ever thinking of her secret, and ever wishing that she could tell it, longing that it ha

been so little secrecy about it that she almost had a right to suppose that it had been known to all men. The more she tried to bring herself to follow him and tell him, the more she assured herself that there should be no necessity. How ought she to have told him, and when? At every point of his story should she have made known to him the same

n the dark and he would be happy always. She idolised him as her own. She loved him the better for thinking that "it was nicer as it is;"-or would have done, had it been so. Why should they go where some sudden tidings mig

prettily situated. When the Ascot week came he offered to take her there, but offered it with a smile which she understood to mean that his proposal should not be accepted. Indeed she had no wish for Ascot or for any place in which he or she must meet their old friends. Might it not be possible if they both could be happy at Durton that there they might remain

r views of life, that she lost much by her constrained reticence. But this necessity of destroying papers was very grievous to her. Though she knew that he would not read the letters without her permission, still she must destroy them. In every possible way she endeavoured to silence her correspondent, not answering her at first; and then giving her such answers as were certainly not affectionate. But in no way would Miss Altifiorla be "snubbed." Then after a w

can you sa

" suggest

re are t

uth to entertain an unwelcome friend? Miss Altifiorla thought that I ought n

u to marry?" asked Mr

averse to marr

s your friend and not mine, and if you choose to put her off of course you can do so. I would advise yo

want of a room, but still essentially false. She was driven about thinking that she would get her husband to take her away from home for awhile-for two or three days. T

ng to be afraid of him and knew that it was so. She did not dare to declare

tell her that we

r mind. As far as I am concerned she is wel

would bore you

that any intimate friend of yours wou

ple

d not have been personal. There are a great many young women, thirty years old and upwards, who take up the

been any persons here. Not

nk I shall fall

she is the last person in

e young lady who agrees with everything and suggests nothing, is to me the most intolerable. At any

m her friend. But she declared again that under no circumstances could she have offered herself as Miss Altifiorla had done. Nevertheless she felt ashamed of the letter. All of which, however, became quite unnecessary, when, in the course of the afternoon, Miss Altifiorla appeared at Durton Lodge. She arrived with a torrent of reasons. She had come up to London on business which admitted o

nce. 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 wit

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 b

r friend getting into bed, happy with the assistance of a strange maid. "Oh, my dear

hing I have to tell you." She had not been five minutes in her own room before Mary summoned her. The "something to be told" too

as soon as she entered the roo

fav

s she heard the words spoken. "You understand me, do you not? I do not wish any word to be said which may by chance lead to the mention of Sir Francis Geraldine's name. If you will understand that, you will be able to comply with my w

n't answer me. You did not want to se

to you. Indeed I have written to you, and the letter would have gone to-day. I wrote to you putting you

of my duty," said

. She did believe that the woman would keep her word,-that she would feel herself bound to preserve herself from the accusation of direct falsehood; but from her good feeling, from her kindness, from her affection, from that feminine bond which ought to have made her silent, she expected n

Miss Altifiorla with a devilish m

n the circumstances of Sir Francis Geraldine's courtship. Of course it is painful to me to have to say this to you. It is so painful that to avoid it I have absolutely written to you telling you not to com

But in her trouble to collect her thoughts she became quite unaware of all accessories. Her dear friend Cecilia had put the matter to her so strongly that she did not quite dare to refuse. But yet what a fund of gratification migh

s, of c

y avoid all allusi

wish it, I

icient. And n

doing wrong," sa

"if you were to take upon yourself to destroy my hap