She kept to her resolve, nevertheless; and, although
Tom, leaving his horse now here now there, to avoid attracting
attention, almost every day visited the oak, he looked in vain
for the light of her approach. Disappointment increased his
longing: what would he not have given to see once more one of
those exquisite smiles break out in its perfect blossom! He kept
going and going--haunted the oak, sure of some blessed chance at
last. It was the first time in his life he had followed one idea
for a whole fortnight.
At length Godfrey came. But, although all the time he was away
Letty had retained and contemplated with tolerable calmness the
idea of making her confession to him, the moment she saw him she
felt such confession impossible. It was a sad discovery to her.
Hitherto Godfrey, and especially of late, had been the chief
source of the peace and interest of her life, that portion of her
life, namely, to which all the rest of it looked as its sky, its
overhanging betterness--and now she felt before him like a
culprit: she had done what he might be displeased with. Nay,
would that were all! for she felt like a hypocrite: she had done
that which she could not confess. Again and again, while Godfrey
was away, she had flattered herself that the help the
objectionable Tom had given her with her task would at once
recommend him to Godfrey's favorable regard; but now that she
looked in Godfrey's face, she was aware--she did not know why,
but she was aware it would not be so.
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