CHAPTER 1.IV.
It remained in my mind, that little thing that Dacres had taken the trouble to tell my daughter; I thought about it a good deal.

It seemed to me the most serious and convincing circumstances that had yet offered itself to my consideration.

Dacres was no longer content to bring solace and support to the more appealing figure of the situation; he must set to work, bless him! to improve the situation itself.

He must try to induce Miss Farnham, by telling her everything he could remember to my credit, to think as well of her mother as possible, in spite of the strange and secret blows which that mother might be supposed to sit up at night to deliver to her.

Cecily thought very well of me already; indeed, with private reservations as to my manners and--no, NOT my morals, I believe I exceeded her expectations of what a perfectly new and untrained mother would be likely to prove.