Another thing she had done--she had most carefully refrained from saying one word to her mother as to the cause of her separation from her husband.

Indeed, Margaret Dornham had no notion of the life that her well-beloved Madaline was leading.
It had been a terrible struggle for Margaret to give her up.
"I might as well have let her go back years ago to those to whom she belonged," she said to herself, "as to let her go now." Still, she stood in great awe of the Duchess of Hazlewood, who seemed to her one of the grandest ladies in all England; and, when the duchess told her it was selfish of her to stand in her daughter's light, Margaret gave way and let her go.

Many times, after she had parted with her, she felt inclined to open the oaken box with brass clasps, and see what the papers in it contained, but a nameless fear came over her.

She did not dare to do what she had not done earlier.
Madaline had constantly written to her, had told her of her lover, had described Lord Arleigh over and over again to her.

On the eve of her wedding-day she had written again; but, after that fatal marriage-day, she had not told her secret.