Sylvia's Lovers

Hester had been prevented by her mother's indisposition from taking

Philip's letter to the Fosters, to hold a consultation with them

over its contents.

Alice Rose was slowly failing, and the long days which she had to

spend alone told much upon her spirits, and consequently upon her

health.

All this came out in the conversation which ensued after reading

Hepburn's letter in the little parlour at the bank on the day after

Sylvia had had her confidential interview with Jeremiah Foster.

He was a true man of honour, and never so much as alluded to her

visit to him; but what she had then told him influenced him very

much in the formation of the project which he proposed to his

brother and Hester.

He recommended her remaining where she was, living still in the

house behind the shop; for he thought within himself that she might

have exaggerated the effect of her words upon Philip; that, after

all, it might have been some cause totally disconnected with them,

which had blotted out her husband's place among the men of

Monkshaven; and that it would be so much easier for both to resume

their natural relations, both towards each other and towards the

world, if Sylvia remained where her husband had left her--in an

expectant attitude, so to speak.

Jeremiah Foster questioned Hester straitly about her letter: whether

she had made known its contents to any one. No, not to any one.

Neither to her mother nor to William Coulson? No, to neither.

She looked at him as she replied to his inquiries, and he looked at

her, each wondering if the other could be in the least aware that a

conjugal quarrel might be at the root of the dilemma in which they

were placed by Hepburn's disappearance.

But neither Hester, who had witnessed the misunderstanding between

the husband and wife on the evening, before the morning on which

Philip went away, nor Jeremiah Foster, who had learnt from Sylvia

the true reason of her husband's disappearance, gave the slightest

reason to the other to think that they each supposed they had a clue

to the reason of Hepburn's sudden departure.

What Jeremiah Foster, after a night's consideration, had to propose

was this; that Hester and her mother should come and occupy the

house in the market-place, conjointly with Sylvia and her child.

Hester's interest in the shop was by this time acknowledged.

Jeremiah had made over to her so much of his share in the business,

that she had a right to be considered as a kind of partner; and she

had long been the superintendent of that department of goods which

were exclusively devoted to women. So her daily presence was

requisite for more reasons than one.

Yet her mother's health and spirits were such as to render it

unadvisable that the old woman should be too much left alone; and

Sylvia's devotion to her own mother seemed to point her out as the

very person who could be a gentle and tender companion to Alice Rose

during those hours when her own daughter would necessarily be

engaged in the shop.