‘What does all this mean, Thomas?’ was the first question that Camilla asked when the embrace was over.

‘All what mean, dear?’

’This untoward delay?  Thomas, you have almost broken my heart.  You have been away, and I have not heard from you.’

‘I wrote twice, Camilla.’

’And what sort of letters?  If there is anything the matter, Thomas, you had better tell me at once.’  She paused, but Thomas held his tongue.  ’I don’t suppose you want to kill me.’

‘God forbid,’ said Thomas.

’But you will.  What must everybody think of me in the city when they find that it is put off.  Poor mamma has been dreadful, quite dreadful!  And here is Arabella now laid up on a bed of sickness.’  This, too, was indiscreet.  Camilla should have said nothing about her sister’s sickness.

‘I have been so sorry to hear about dear Bella,’ said Mr Gibson.

‘I don’t suppose she’s very bad,’ said Camilla, ’but of course we all feel it.  Of course we’re upset.  As for me, I bear up; because I’ve that spirit that I won’t give way if it’s ever so; but, upon my word, it tries me hard.  What is the meaning of it, Thomas?’

But Thomas had nothing to say beyond what he had said before to Mrs French.  He was very particular, he said, about money; and certain money matters made it incumbent on him not to marry before the 29th of April.  When Camilla suggested to him that as she was to be his wife, she ought to know all about his money matters, he told her that she should some day.  When they were married, he would tell her all.  Camilla talked a great deal, and said some things that were very severe.  Mr Gibson did not enjoy his morning, but he endured the upbraidings of his fair one with more firmness than might perhaps have been expected from him.  He left all the talking to Camilla; but when he got up to leave her, the 29th of April had been fixed, with some sort of assent from her, as the day on which she was really to become Mrs Gibson.

When he left the room, he again met Mrs French on the landing-place.  She hesitated a moment, waiting to see whether the door would be shut; but the door could not be shut, as Camilla was standing in the entrance.  ‘Mr Gibson,’ said Mrs French, in a voice that was scarcely a whisper, ’would you mind stepping in and seeing poor Bella for a moment?’

‘Why she is in bed,’ said Camilla.

’Yes she is in bed; but she thinks it would be a comfort to her.  She has seen nobody these four days except Mr Martin, and she thinks it would comfort her to have a word or two with Mr Gibson.’  Now Mr Gibson was not only going to be Bella’s brother-in-law, but he was also a clergyman.  Camilla in her heart believed that the half-clerical aspect which her mother had given to the request was false and hypocritical.  There were special reasons why Bella should not have wished to see Mr Gibson in her bedroom, at any rate till Mr Gibson had become her brother-in-law.  The expression of such a wish at the present moment was almost indecent.