It was partly from habit, having lived so long in what was worse than loneliness, under circumstances when she was obliged to maintain the utmost and most cautious silence upon every thing, and partly because her own strong nature prevented the necessity of letting her mind and feelings bubble over on all occasions and to every body, as is the manner of weaker but yet very amiable women.

But, on the other hand, though she could keep a secret sacredly, rigidly--so rigidly as to prevent people's even guessing that there was a secret to be kept, she disliked unnecessary mysteries and small deceptions exceedingly.
She saw no use and no good in them.

They seemed to her only the petty follies of petty minds.

She had no patience with them, and would take no trouble about them.
So, as soon as the ladies were alone, she said to Miss Gascoigne outright, without showing either hesitation or annoyance.
"I met Miss Bennett in the hall to-day.

Why did you not tell me that you and Aunt Maria had chosen a governess for Letitia ?" Sometimes nothing puzzles very clever people so much as a piece of direct simplicity.