If he could do aught to ease her troubles, he would do it--as a brother would for a sister.
But it would be well that she should know of his engagement.

Then he thought of the whole interview, and felt sure that she must know it.

At any rate he told himself that he was sure.

She could hardly have spoken to him as she had done, unless she had known.

When last they had been together, sauntering round the gardens at Clavering, he had rebuked her for her treachery to him: Now she came to him almost open-armed, free, full of her cares, swearing to him that he was her only friend! All this could mean but one thing--unless she knew that that one thing was barred by his altered position.
But it gratified him to think that she had chosen him for the repository of her tale; that she had told her terrible history to him.