As soon as he was gone Emily Trevelyan went upstairs to her baby.  She would not stir as long as there had been a chance of his coming to her.  She very much wished that he would come, and had made up her mind, in spite of the fierceness of her assertion to her sister, to accept any slightest hint at an apology which her husband might offer to her.  To this state of mind she was brought by the consciousness of having a secret from him, and by a sense not of impropriety on her own part, but of conduct which some people might have called improper in her mode of parting from the man against whom her husband had warned her.  The warmth of that hand-pressing, and the affectionate tone in which her name had been pronounced, and the promise made to her, softened her heart towards her husband.  Had he gone to her now and said a word to her in gentleness all might have been made right.  But he did not go to her.

‘If he chooses to be cross and sulky, he may be cross and sulky,’ said Mrs Trevelyan to herself as she went up to her baby.

‘Has Louis been with you?’ Nora asked, as soon as Mrs Fairfax had brought her home.

‘I have not seen him since you left me,’ said Mrs Trevelyan.

‘I suppose he went out before Colonel Osborne?’

’No, indeed.  He waited till Colonel Osborne had gone, and then he went himself; but he did not come near me.  It is for him to judge of his own conduct, but I must say that I think he is very foolish.’

This the young wife said in a tone which clearly indicated that she had judged her husband’s conduct, and had found it to be very foolish indeed.

‘Do you think that papa and mamma will really come?’ said Nora, changing the subject of conversation.

’How can I tell?  How am I to know?  After all that has passed I am afraid to say a word lest I should be accused of doing wrong.  But remember this, Nora, you are not to speak of it to any one.’

‘You will tell Louis?’

‘No; I will tell no one.’

‘Dear, dear Emily; pray do not keep anything secret from him.’

’What do you mean by secret?  There isn’t any secret.  Only in such matters as that about politics no gentleman likes to have his name talked about!’

A look of great distress came upon Nora’s face as she heard this.  To her it seemed to be very bad that there should be a secret between her sister and Colonel Osborne to be kept from her brother-in-law.

‘I suppose you will suspect me next?’ said Mrs Trevelyan, angrily.

‘Emily, how can you say anything so cruel?’

‘You look as if you did.’

’I only mean that I think it would be wiser to tell all this to Louis.’

’How can I tell him Colonel Osborne’s private business, when Colonel Osborne has desired me not to do so.  For whose sake is Colonel Osborne doing this?  For papa’s and mamma’s!  I suppose Louis won’t be jealous, because I want to have papa and mamma home.  It would not be a bit less unreasonable than the other.’