had made at the Deanery, Cecilia had not contradicted it, but had
expressed her surprise. She therefore had resolved to decide the
question against her uncle, and had given rise to the party who were
on that side. But the outside world were strongly of opinion that
Sir Francis had been the first offender. It was so much the more
probable. Miss Altifiorla had always taken that side, and had spoken
everywhere of him as the great sinner. Still however there was a
doubt in her own mind, as to which she was desirous of receiving such
solution as Cecilia could give her. She was determined now to push
the question. "But," said she, "I suppose it originated with him? It
is a great thing for us to feel that you have not been to blame at
all in the matter."

"I have been to blame," said Cecilia.

"But how? The man comes here and proposes himself; and is accepted,
and then breaks away from his engagement without reason and without
excuse. It is a thing to be thankful for, that he should have done
so; but we have also to be thankful that the fault has not been on
our side." Miss Altifiorla had almost brought herself to believe
that the man had made love to her, and proposed to her, that she in
a moment of weakness had accepted him, and that she now had been
luckily saved by his inconstancy.

"I think we will drop that part of the question," said Miss Holt,
showing by her manner that she did not choose to be cross-questioned.
"In such cases there is generally fault on both sides." Then there
was nothing further said on the subject, but Miss Altifiorla pondered
much over her friend's weakness in not being able to confess that she
had been jilted.

All this had happened in the summer. During the gala days of the
projected wedding plans had been made, of course, for the honeymoon.
Sir Francis with his bride were to go here and to go there, and poor
Mrs. Holt had been fated to remain at home as though no arrangement
had been necessary for her happiness. Indeed none had been necessary.
She was quite content to remain at Exeter and expect such excitement
as might come to her from letters from Lady Geraldine. To talk to
everybody around her about Lady Geraldine would have sufficed for
her. And when all these hopes were broken up and it had been really
decided that there should be no wedding, when it became apparent that
Cecilia Holt was to remain as Cecilia Holt, still there was no autumn
tour. Cecilia had declared that in no place wo