And then, as he had called her by her Christian name, as he had exacted the promise, there had been a tone of affection in his voice that she had almost felt to be too warm.

But she gave the promise; and when he pressed her hand at parting, she pressed his again, in token of gratitude for the kindness to be done to her father and mother.
Immediately afterwards Colonel Osborne went away, and Mrs.Trevelyan was left alone in her drawing-room.

She knew that her husband was still down-stairs, and listened for a moment to hear whether he would now come up to her.

And he, too, had heard the Colonel's step as he went, and for a few moments had doubted whether or no he would at once go to his wife.

Though he believed himself to be a man very firm of purpose, his mind had oscillated backwards and forwards within the last quarter of an hour between those two purposes of being round with his wife, and of begging her pardon for the words which he had already spoken.