Even though she must quarrel with the Duke, she was most anxious that her husband should not be compelled to do so.

Their connection had been political rather than personal.

There were many reasons why there should be no open cause of disruption between them.
But her husband was hot-headed, and, were all this to be told him and that letter shown to him which the Duke had written, there would be words between him and the Duke which would probably make impossible any further connection between them.
It troubled her very much.

She was by no means not alive to the honour of the Duke's friendship.

Throughout her intimacy with the Duchess she had abstained from pressing herself on him, not because she had been indifferent about him, but that she had perceived that she might make her way with him better by standing aloof than by thrusting herself forward.