Her words that night at Dover, had closed down all the possible sources he could have used for her melting.
And a man cannot in a week break through a thousand years of inherited pride.
Before the Canada scheme had presented itself he had rather thought of joining with a friend for another trip to the Soudan: it might not be too late still, when they had got over the Wrayth ordeal, the tenants' dinners, and the speeches, and the cruel mockery of it all.

He would see--perhaps--what could be done, but to go on living in this daily torture he would not submit to, for the "loving her less" had not yet begun! And when he had left, although she would not own it to herself, Zara's joy in the day was gone.
The motors came to fetch them presently, and they all went back to the Castle to dress and have tea.
Tristram's face was still stony and he had sat down in a sofa by Laura, when a footman brought a telegram to Zara.

He watched her open it, with concentrated interest.

Whom were these mysterious telegrams from?
He saw her face change as it had done in Paris, only not so seriously; and then she crushed up the paper into a ball and threw it in the fire.

The telegram had been: "Very slightly feverish again," and signed "Mimo." "Now I remember where I have seen your wife before," said Laura.