keeping him busy. The task of modifying and retrenching his plans contrasted drearin with the hopeful activity of the past months, but he had an iron capacity for hard work under adverse conditions, and the fact of being too busy for thought helped him to wear through the days. This pressure of work relieved him, at first, from too close consideration of his relation to Bessy. He had yielded up his dearest hopes at her wish, and for the moment his renunciation had set a chasm between them; but gradually he saw that, as he was patching together the ruins of his Westmore plans, so he must presently apply himself to the reconstruction of his married life.
Before leaving Lynbrook he had had a last word with Miss Brent; not a word of confidence—for the same sense of reserve kept both from any explicit renewal of their moment’s intimacy—but one of those exchanges of commonplace phrase that circumstances may be left to charge with special meaning. Justine had merely asked if he were really leaving and, on his assenting, had exclaimed quickly: “But you will come back soon?”
“I shall certainly come back,” he answered; and after a pause he added: “I shall find you here? You will remain at Lynbrook?”
On her part also there was a shade of hesitation; then she said with a smile: “Yes, I shall stay.”
[ 294 ]
