t
to all appearance (when viewed on the inner side) as carefully secured
as Agnes had seen it when she tried the key in the lock with her own
hand.

While the Montbarrys were still at dinner, Henry Westwick joined them,
arriving from Milan.

When he entered the room, and again when he advanced to shake hands
with her, Agnes was conscious of a latent feeling which secretly
reciprocated Henry's unconcealed pleasure on meeting her again. For a
moment only, she returned his look; and in that moment her own
observation told her that she had silently encouraged him to hope. She
saw it in the sudden glow of happiness which overspread his face; and
she confusedly took refuge in the usual conventional inquiries relating
to the relatives whom he had left at Milan.

Taking his place at the table, Henry gave a most amusing account of the
position of his brother Francis between the mercenary opera-dancer on
one side, and the unscrupulous manager of the French theatre on the
other. Matters had proceeded to such extremities, that the law had
been called on to interfere, and had decided the dispute in favour of
Francis. On winning the victory the English manager had at once left
Milan, recalled to London by the affairs of his theatre. He was
accompanied on the journey back, as he had been accompanied on the
journey out, by his sister. Resolved, after passing two nights of
terror in the Venetian hotel, never to enter it again, Mrs. Norbury
asked to be excused from appearing at the family festival, on the
ground of ill-health. At her age, travelling fatigued her, and she was
glad to take advantage of her brother's escort to return to England.

While the talk at the dinner-table flowed easily onward, the
evening-time advanced to night--and it became necessary to think of
sending the children to bed.

As Agnes rose to leave the room, accompanied by the eldest girl, she
observed with surprise that Henry's manner suddenly changed. He looked
serious and pre-occupied; and when his niece wished him good night, he
abruptly said to her, 'Marian, I want to know what part of the hotel
you sleep in?' Marian, puzzled by the question, answered that she was
going to sleep, as usual, with 'Aunt Agnes.' Not satisfied with that
reply, Henry next inquired whether the bedroom was near the rooms
occupied by the other members of the travelling party. Answering for
the child, and wondering what Henry's object could possibly be, Agnes
mentioned the polit