Could she excite their suspicion by locking herself up from them in her room as soon as the lawyer had left the house?
Her hand trembled on the banister; she felt that her face might betray her.

The self-forgetful fortitude, which had never failed her until that day, had been tried once too often--had been tasked beyond its powers at last.
At the hall door she reflected for a moment again, and went into the garden; directing her steps to a rustic bench and table placed out of sight of the house among the trees.

In past times she had often sat there, with Mrs.Vanstone on one side, with Norah on the other, with Magdalen and the dogs romping on the grass.

Alone she sat there now--the will and the letter which she dared not trust out of her own possession, laid on the table--her head bowed over them; her face hidden in her hands.

Alone she sat there and tried to rouse her sinking courage.
Doubts thronged on her of the dark days to come; dread beset her of the hidden danger which her own silence toward Norah and Magdalen might store up in the near future.