She was all but able to carry herself as though no terrible accusation was being made against her father.

Of the struggle, however, she was not herself the less conscious, and she told herself that on that account also she must go.

And then she must go also because of Major Grantly.

Whether he was minded to come and speak to her that one other needed word, or whether he was not so minded, it would be better that she should be away from Silverbridge.

If he spoke it she could only answer him by a negative; and if he were minded not to speak it, would it not be better that she should leave herself the power of thinking that his silence had been caused by her absence, and not by his coldness or indifference?
She asked, therefore, for an interview with Miss Prettyman, and was shown into the elder sister's room, at eleven o'clock on the Tuesday morning.