But the change of her father's plans, and the absence from England of Lord Culverhouse, who had been sent on a mission to France by his father, put an end to all these hopes, and she had felt the burden of her secret heavy indeed.

Moreover, she was fearful lest Culverhouse should in some sort repent him of the step he had taken and wish it undone.

Kate had but a small share of vanity, and only a very modest appreciation of her own attractions, and it seemed to her as though her cousin, moving as he did in the gay world of fashion, must surely see many other maidens tenfold more beautiful and graceful.
Suppose he were to repent of his secret betrothal; suppose his troth plight weighed heavy on his spirit?
what misery that would be for both! And during these long months of silence such thoughts and fears had preyed upon the girl's spirit, and had produced in her the change that both her parents had observed.
Wherefore now that the confession had been made, and the burdensome secret was a secret no longer, a reaction set in that was almost like relief.

She felt certain, since all was known, that Culverhouse would come forward and stand boldly beside her and lay claim to her hand before the world as he had talked of doing when he had led her to the troth plight on that May Day that seemed so long ago now.
Even the thought of the journey and the visit to her father's great aunts was not altogether distasteful.

She was more afraid of meeting her mother's sorrowful glances than stern ones from strangers.