e her home."

Lady Monk perceived that Mr Palliser had in truth left his wife
behind because he believed her to be ill, and not because he was
afraid of Burgo Fitzgerald. So accomplished a woman as Lady Monk felt
no doubt that the wife's absence was caused by fear of the lover, and
not by any cold caught in viewing ruins by moonlight. She was not to
be deceived in such a matter. But she became aware that Mr Palliser
had been deceived. As she was right in this we must go back for a
moment, and say a word of things as they went on at Matching after
Alice Vavasor had left that place.

Alice had told Miss Palliser that steps ought to be taken, whatever
might be their cost, to save Lady Glencora from the peril of a visit
to Monkshade. To this Miss Palliser had assented, and, when she left
Alice, was determined to tell Mr Palliser the whole story. But when
the time for doing so had come, her courage failed her. She could not
find words in which to warn the husband that his wife would not be
safe in the company of her old lover. The task with Lady Glencora
herself, bad as that would be, might be easier, and this task she at
last undertook,--not without success.

"Glencora," she said, when she found a fitting opportunity, "you
won't be angry, I hope, if I say a word to you?"

"That depends very much upon what the word is," said Lady Glencora.
And here it must be acknowledged that Mr Palliser's wife had not done
much to ingratiate herself with Mr Palliser's cousins;--not perhaps
so much as she should have done, seeing that she found them in her
husband's house. She had taught herself to think that they were hard,
stiff, and too proud of bearing the name of Palliser. Perhaps some
little attempt may have been made by one or both of them to teach her
something, and it need hardly be said that such an attempt on the
part of a husband's unmarried female relations would not be forgiven
by a young bride. She had undoubtedly been ungracious, and of this
Miss Palliser was well aware.

"Well,--the word shall be as little unpleasant as I can make it,"
said Miss Palliser, already appreciating fully the difficulty of her
task.

"But why say anything that is unpleasant? However, if it is to be
said, let us have it over at once."

"You are going to Monkshade, I believe, with Plantagenet."

"Well;--and what of that?"

"Dear Glencora, I think you had better not go. Do you not think so
yourself?"

"Who has been talking to you?" said