Anne's marriage had saddled her friends with a difficult responsibility, the justification of Anne for that astounding step.
Acquaintances had been made to understand that Mrs.Eliott had had nothing to do with it.

They went away baffled, but confirmed in their impression that she knew; which was, after all, what they wanted to know.
It was not so easy to satisfy the licensed curiosity of Anne's friends.
They came to-day in quantities, attracted by the news of the Majendies' premature return from their honeymoon.

Mrs.Eliott felt that Miss Proctor and the Gardners were sitting on in the hope of meeting them.
Mrs.Eliott had been obliged to accept Anne's husband, that she might retain Anne's affection.

In this she did violence to her feelings, which were sore on the subject of the marriage.

It was not only on account of the inglorious clouds he trailed.