He thought Mrs.Bellairs might help him in solving the question.

He knew quite well that she was not particularly pleased with his attentions to Lucia, but she was both sensible and kind-hearted, and, when she knew how far matters had gone, he did not doubt that she would do what she could to save them both from a painful misunderstanding.

But no sooner had he quickened his steps with the idea of immediately seeking her advice, than he began to reflect that Lucia had said she herself had been ignorant of any reason for acting as she had just done until last night; it was, therefore, very unlikely that Mrs.Bellairs, dear friend though she was, knew anything of this matter.
And if there was a family secret, what right had he to betray it?
He gave up, therefore, this hope, and tried to content himself with the other, on which, however, he placed little reliance, that Lucia herself might recall him before the day was over.

In the almost certainty that he had lost her, it was strange how completely he again forgot the difficulties that had troubled him before, and thought simply of her.

At that moment he would willingly have sacrificed everything he _could_ sacrifice for the knowledge that her secret was only a phantom, and that she was really to be his wife.