In less than a week Maggie was at St. Ogg’s again — outwardly in much the same position as when her visit there had just begun. It was easy for her to fill her mornings apart from Lucy without any obvious effort; for she had her promised visits to pay to her aunt Glegg, and it was natural that she should give her mother more than usual of her companionship in these last weeks, especially as there were preparations to be thought of for Tom’s housekeeping. But Lucy would hear of no pretext¹ for her remaining away in the evenings; she must always come from aunt Glegg’s before dinner — “else what shall I have of you?” said Lucy, with a tearful pout² that could not be resisted.

And Mr. Stephen Guest had unaccountably taken to dining at Mr. Deane’s as often as possible, instead of avoiding that, as he used to do. At first he began his mornings with a resolution that he would not dine there, not even go in the evening, till Maggie was away. He had even devised a plan of starting off on a journey in this agreeable June weather; the headaches which he had constantly been alleging³ as a ground for stupidity and silence were a sufficient ostensible⁴ motive⁵. But the journey was not taken, and by the fourth morning no distinct resolution was formed about the evenings; they were only foreseen as times when Maggie would still be present for a little while — when one more touch, one more glance, might be snatched. For why not? There was nothing to conceal⁶ between them; they knew, they had confessed their love, and they had renounced⁷ each other; they were going to part. Honor and conscience were going to divide them; Maggie, with that appeal from her inmost soul, had decided⁸ it; but surely they might cast a lingering look at each other across the

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