By the next afternoon Rhoda would have done anything to escape this inquiry.

But she had promised to go.

Moreover, there was a horrid fascination at times in becoming instrumental in throwing such possible light on her own character as would reveal her to be something greater in the occult world than she had ever herself suspected.
She started just before the time of day mentioned between them, and half- an-hour's brisk walking brought her to the south-eastern extension of the Egdon tract of country, where the fir plantation was.

A slight figure, cloaked and veiled, was already there.

Rhoda recognized, almost with a shudder, that Mrs.Lodge bore her left arm in a sling.
They hardly spoke to each other, and immediately set out on their climb into the interior of this solemn country, which stood high above the rich alluvial soil they had left half-an-hour before.