Adela tried to bear herself as though
nothing unwonted had come to pass, but Mutimer scarcely spoke when
at home; if he addressed her it was in a quick, off-hand way, and
without looking at her. Adela again lived almost alone. Her mother
and Letty understood that she preferred this. Letty had many
occupations; before long she hoped to welcome her first child. The
children of New Wanley still came once a week to the Manor; Adela
endeavoured to amuse them, to make them thoughtful, but it had
become a hard, hard task. Only with Mr. Wyvern did she occasionally
speak without constraint, though not of course without reserve;
speech of _that_ kind she feared would never again be possible to
her. Still she felt that the vicar saw far into her life. On some
topics she was more open than she had hitherto ventured to be; a
boldness, almost a carelessness, for which she herself could not
account, possessed her at such times.
Late in June she received from Stella Westlake a pressing invitation
to come and spend a fortnight in London. It was like sunshine to her
heart; almost without hesitation she re solved to accept it. Her
husband offered no objection, seemed to treat the proposal with
indifference. Later in the day he said:
'If you have time, you might perhaps give Alice a call.
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