But it was necessary that she too should address him.  ’I hope I see you quite well, Mr. Caldigate,’ she said, giving him her hand.

‘The prison has not disagreed with me,’ he said, with an attempt at a smile, ‘though it was not an agreeable residence.’

’If you used your leisure there to meditate on your soul’s welfare, it may have been of service to you.’

It was very grim.  But the banker having made his one severe speech, became kind in his manner, and almost genial.  He asked after his son-in-law’s future intentions, and when he was told that they thought of spending some months abroad so as to rid themselves in that way of the immediate record of their past misery, he was gracious enough to express his approval of the plan; and then when the lunch was announced, and the two ladies had passed out of the room, he said a word to his son-in-law in private.  ’As I was convinced, Mr. Caldigate, when I first heard the evidence, that that other woman was your wife, and was therefore very anxious to separate my daughter from you, so am I satisfied now that the whole thing was a wicked plot.’

‘I am very glad to hear you say that, sir.’

‘Now, if you please, we will go in to lunch.’

As long as Caldigate remained in the house Mrs. Bolton was almost silent.  The duties of a hostess she performed in a stiff ungainly way.  She asked him whether he would have hashed mutton or cold beef, and allowed him to pour a little sherry into her wine-glass.  But beyond this there was not much conversation.  Mr. Bolton had said what he had to say, and sat leaning forward with his chin over his plate perfectly silent.  It is to be supposed that he had some pleasure in having his daughter once more beneath his roof, especially as he had implored his wife not to deprive him of that happiness during the small remainder of his days.  But he sat there with no look of joy upon his face.  That she should be stern, sullen, and black-browed was to be expected.  She had been compelled to entertain their guest; and was not at all the woman to bear such compulsion meekly.

The hour at last wore itself away, and the carriage which was to take Caldigate back to Folking was again at the door.  It was a Tuesday.  ’You will send for me on Thursday,’ she said to him in a whisper.

‘Certainly.’

’Early?  After breakfast, you know.  I suppose you will not come yourself.’

’Not here, I think.  I have done all the good that I can do, and it is pleasant to no one.  But you shall pick me up in the town.  I shall go in and see your brother Robert.’  Then he went, and Hester was left with her parents.

As she turned back from the hall-door she found her mother standing at the foot of the stairs, waiting for her.  ‘Shall I come with you, mamma?’ she said.  Holding each other’s arms they went up, and so passed into Hester’s room, where the nurse was sitting with the boy.  ’Let her go into my room,’ said the elder lady.  So the nurse took the baby away, and they were alone together.  ‘Oh, Hester, Hester, my child!’ said the mother, flinging her arms wildly round her daughter.