Lovice

Front matter

LOVICE NOVELS BY MRS. HUNGERFORD Post 8vo., illustrated boards, 2S. each ; cloth limp, 2S. 6d. each. A MAIDEN ALL FORLORN. MARVEL. IN DURANCE VILE. A MODERN CIRCE. A MENTAL STRUGGLE. AN UNSATISFACTORY LOVER. LADY PATTY. Crown 8vo., cloth extra, 3s. 6d. each ; post 8vo., illustrated boards, 2s. each ; cloth limp, as. 6d. each. LADY VERNER'S FLIGHT. THE RED-HOUSE MYSTERY. THE THREE GRACES. With 6 Illustrations. Crown 8vo., cloth extra, 3s. 6d. each. THE PROFESSOR'S EXPERIMENT. With Frontispiece by E. J. Wheeler. NORA CREINA. APRIL'S LADY. A POINT OF CONSCIENCE. AN ANXIOUS MOMENT. LOVICE. Crown 8vo., cloth, gilt top, 6s. London : CHATTO & WlNDUS, in St. Martin's Lank, W.C. LOVICE MRS." HUNGERFORD AUTHOR OF 3-IOLLY BAWN,' 'a POINT OF CONSCIENCE,' ' LADY PATTY,' ETC. ' Be to her virtues very kind, Be to her faults a little blind " LONDON CHATTO & WlNDUS TO LADY EMILY BERNARD WITH KIND REGARDS FROM THE AUTHOR st. brenda's BANDON CONTENTS.

CHAPTER PAGE I. A LITTLE DIFFERENCE OF OPINION - - I II. A QUALM, A REFUSAL, AND AN ACCEPTANCE - 1 3 III. LAMBERT RE-READS A VERY IMPORTANT LETTER, AND COMES TO A WISE DECISION AND A STAND- STILL - - - - - 23 IV. HOW LOVICE HAS TO FIGHT A BATTLE THAT SHE PARTLY GAINS AND PARTLY LOSES - 29 V. A FEW WORDS HERE AND THERE, AND AN EVASION 4 1 VI. LADY ROSEMARY KNOWS HERSELF ' FLATTERED ' ONCE AGAIN, AND BUTLER'S DOUBTS GROW GRAVER - - - - - 55 VII. HOW LOVICE GETS THROUGH A DISTINCTLY UN- PLEASANT CONVERSATION ; HOW SHE FEELS DISGUST, AND MISS JOHNS A VULGAR JOY ; AND A SURPRISE !----- 62 VIII. HOW MISS JOHNS CARRIES A VERY IMPORTANT POINT, AND LAMBERT SUFFERS A BAD QUARTER OF AN HOUR. NOT SO BAD, HOWEVER, AS HE DESERVES, OR AS LOVICE ENDURES LATER ON - CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE IX. AN INTERLUDE - - - - 83 X. SOME LIGHT SKIRMISHING ; A SUDDEN AND SWEET TOUCH OF JOY, AND ALSO A TOUCH OF ANGER - - - - - - 91 XI.

A WORD OR TWO ABOUT LOUIE'S MOTHER, AND ANOTHER ABOUT THE OTTER ; AND HOW LOUIE GETS INTO COLD WATER - - "99 XII. HOW TWO PEOPLE GROW COLD FROM FRIGHT, WHILST ONE GETS HOT FROM ANGER ; AND OF THE UNSEEMLY MIRTH OF MR. DEVEREUX - 1-8 XIII. OF VANITY AND ITS USES - - - 115 XIV. AN ARGUMENT OF THE MOST SYMPATHETIC KIND, SHOWING A DISLIKE TO BLOODSHED, THAT UN- FORTUNATELY NEARLY LEADS TO BLOODSHED - 1 26 XV. ANOTHER ARGUMENT, IN WHICH DIGBY REDEEMS HIMSELF FROM THE CHARGE OF CONCEIT - 1 32 XVI. SHOWING HOW WORDS CAN BE VERY BEAUTIFUL, BUT ACTIONS REMARKABLY UGLY - - 1 38 xvn. mrs. Lambert's second letter, and some TREACHEROUS THOUGHTS - - - 147 XVIII. HOW DIGBY SECURES HIMSELF A COMFORTABLE SEAT, AND MISS CRICHTON QUOTES A FEW FLOWERS OF SPEECH - - - 159 XIX. HOW LOVICE TAKES PITY ON A MIDNIGHT MARAUDER, AND GIVES HIM LATE SUPPER - 1 69 XX.

Chapter I

A LITTLE DIFFERENCE OF OPINION. Lady Rosemary, who for the past five minutes has been making but a very poor pretence at reading a book, now lets it drop softly on to the pale-violet cushions at her elbow. Her young, fair, and charm ing countenance is conscious of disturbance. She looks uncertainly towards the open window opposite, where her sister — a replica of herself, but, as she most honestly acknowledges, one more delicately painted — is sitting half in and half out of it, with her beautiful head leaning against the framework. Lovice is not even making a pretence at reading. She is gazing idly on the exquisite summer scene before her, and is swaying her feet, which almost reach the veranda below, to and fro. Lady Rosemary, encouraged by this idleness, bends towards her. LOVICE 2 * Are you sure,' says she — ' are you quite sure that you are really happy in this extraordinary engagement ?' Lovice turns her head slowly.

Miss Devereux's movements, if often slow, are always sweet and gracious. ' What a strange question ! Is one ever really happy about anything ?' asks she, her gray eyes filled with a mocking light. ' A strange answer,' says her sister gently. ' I wonder why you accepted him last Thursday !' Her tone, though she had not meant it, conveys a question. Lovice regards her with an amused air. ' Surely you don't expect me to know,' says she. 'It is a pity you can't be serious now and then,' says Lady Rosemary, with a heart-felt sigh — she is feeling a little irritation, of a sort — ' especially on a subject that must mean all the happiness of your life to you. Do, darling, try to bring your mind to it. Do you know, I think he is the very last person on earth likely to make you happy.' Lovice smiles.

She turns slightly to answer her, plucking idly as she does so one of the roses creeping up the house — the sweet June roses. ' Ah ! Perhaps that's why !' says she. A little silence follows upon this ; then : ' I wish it had been Jim,' says Lady Rosemary. ' Looking at it from your point of view, it does seem a pity,' says Miss Devereux calmly ; ' but there must always be my point of view, too. It is easy to follow your line of thought — his big estate lying so close to Digby's little one, that useful five thousand a year, and the rest.' ' Yes, " the rest," Lovice.' There is conviction in her tone. ' And " the rest " means everything. He loves you — loves you with all his heart ' 'Ah! not everything.' Then quickly, a quick fire springing to life in her eyes : ' And Godfrey ?' ' Of course.' Lady Rosemary's charming face grows slightly apologetic, slightly anxious, too. ' Of course, Captain Lambert loves you, too, only ' ' There is no " only."

Lovice has picked herself up from the sill of the window, and is now regarding her sister with rather strained eyes. ' I am some what sorry, Edie, that I told you anything at all about our engagement, as it has to be kept secret for the present. You seem to me to think ' She breaks off. ' Why do you think Godfrey does not love me?' demands she, almost passionately. ' I don't think I said that.' ' Then,' flinging up her beautiful head, ' what did you say?' ' Nothing much, except that Jim loves you with all his heart.' ■ And Godfrey ?' She repeats her question, her face pale, her eyes urgent. ' Has Captain Lambert a heart ?' asks Lady Rose mary desperately, impelled to it by a very honest 1 — LOVICE 4 affection for her sister, whilst feeling herself a brute. 'Oh!' turning away, 'you are very prejudiced.

I could see from the first that you did not like him.' ' I confess,' eagerly, ' I do not. I confess, too, that I am prejudiced. But why be angry with me, Lovice, because of that ? It is for you — for you — I betray such ungenerous feeling.' 'As for heart,' says Miss Devereux, who has grown quite calm again, ' if you mean Jim's ridiculous way of declaring it, that,' slowly fanning her self, ' has gone quite out of fashion. The flinging of one's self at the adored one's knees, the spending the midnight gazing at the window where she is supposed to be — but where, ten to one, she isn't— all that, Edie, has had its grave dug many years ago. Not that poor old Jim has been actually guilty of such absurdities, but ' She pauses, and then, very slowly : ' I give Godfrey quite as much as he gives me.' ' Ah ! if I might believe that,' Lady Rosemary breaks in eagerly, a ring of hope in her dulcet voice. ' You, too, then — already — begin to doubt him ?' Miss Devereux's gray eyes grow disdainful. ' What an opinion you must have of me, Edie : to doubt him, and — and still know myself engaged to him !' ' Lovice,' cries Lady Rosemary suddenly, ' are you, or are you not, in love with that man ?' The slight fit of anger has died from Miss Devereux as swiftly as it was born, being so rare a thing with her.

Now she makes a little saucy pass with her hands. 'What is love?' demands she. And then some old half-forgotten words coming to her, she para phrases them wilfully : What is love ? 'Tis but a vapour, Soon it vanisheth away.' ' I knew you wouldn't discuss it,' says Lady Rosemary plaintively, her fair and delightful face taking quite a vexed expression. ' But, for all that, I have my own misgivings. I have watched this love affair between you and Godfrey Lambert for the past three months — or four, is it?' ' Two.' ' And I cannot believe that these incessant quarrels between you can lead to honest good. Besides which, his attentions to that hideous Juliana Johns ' ' The heiress of Johnville ? Do you think I am afraid of mere money ? Pouf ! how you drag things down!' She turns the gayest face to her sister. ' Let me have a little bit of romance thrown into my poor engagement !' She turns and walks straight to a long mirror near her, and there surveys herself deliberately from her dainty head — so exquisitely poised, and so exquisitely crowned with its sweet LOVICE 6 coils of chestnut hair — to the tips of her perfect feet.

There is something that amounts to deliberate vanity in the self-satisfactory way in which she puts out one of these charming feet and gazes at it. ' I am not afraid of Miss Juliana Johns !' says she, with quite a superb air, and yet with a sweet and pretty glance that mingles well with the touch of latent humour that belongs to her. 'And yet ' A fig for your silly suspicions !' lightly. ' Are you a sister at all, to think that Juliana, with all her thousands, is anything as against me ?' ' Still, she has her thousands. And Captain Lambert is not well off, and your fortune is but a slender one — scarcely, indeed, coming under that head. And he However,' sighing, ' I expect that in dreaming of his breaking off this secret en gagement between you, I but hope against hope.' ' Why should you hope that, Edie ?

Don't,' says the girl, with a swift and exquisite change from her air of audacity a moment ago to one of tender en treaty. ' I can't help it.' Lady Rosemary makes an eloquent gesture. ' I wish you had set your heart on Jim. He is good. He is true ' ' Poor Godfrey !' puts in Lovice sotto voce, wincing, yet smiling. ' That means, of course, that he is neither good nor true ' ' And both of you,' goes on Lady Rosemary, continuing her speech as if not hearing the other, ' grew up together.' ' Which, of course, is an all-sufficient reason why I should be in love with Jim !' she laughs. The old touch of mockery has returned to her tone. ' Those whose knowledge of each other has reached from the dark ages, who have had their measles together, their first sobs over their first sums, their rapturous joys over their first polka, are naturally supposed by the blind heathens round them to be made for each other.

And so it may be for some, Edie — Heaven forbid I should deny it ! — but for me, I like mysteries ! I would have unknown worlds to discover, perhaps to conquer. And Jim — dear old Jim ! — I am very fond of him, as you know, Edie ; but there is nothing left for me to discover about him. I know him down to the ground.' ' You might, however,' sententiously, ' go farther, and fare worse.' ' True, O sapient sister ! And, indeed, if Now, here is a grand concession : if I have to go farther than Godfrey — and you know how we quarrel, how frequently we are on the war-path — I should like nothing better than to decline upon Jim. There! A noble in-giving! You mustn't tell Jim, though ; he is troublesome enough as it is.' ' " On the war-path " — yes. I had noticed that ; and, forgive me, dearest, I had been revelling in it — LOVICE until— last Thursday.

I thought there was nothing in Captain Lambert's attentions to you, or in your friendship for him ; that your frequent arguments quarrels—precluded all tender thoughts. That they were lovers' quarrels never occurred to me. But, Lovice, take care ! Call me prejudiced again if you like, but the day will come when one of these quarrels will end in ' ' Murder ?' lightly. ' In the breaking up ofthe tie that binds you.' « Are you looking out for that ?' asks Lovice, a little coldly. ' You are not very flattering. You think he does not really love me. But if he does not, then why has he asked me to marry him ?' ' Ah ! your face ' ' Well, my face,' calmly, ' will be here to the end. On the whole, Edie, don't you think you are showering insults on me in a small way?' ' No, no, no ! It is abominable your saying such a stupid thing as that ; as if you and I and Digby were not devoted to each other, as we should be, being all that we have of our real own in the world.' ' I wish Dolly could hear you,' says Miss Devereux, with a rather uncertain little laugh. ' Oh, Dolly !

He's only a husband ; whereas one's sister and brother ' ' Are of no account at all beside him. Forgive me for sparing you that awful falsehood.' ' Oh, well, Dolly's all right,' says Lady Rosemary, laughing. ' But ' She hesitates. ' Even he thinks ' ' Ah !' quickly, ' you have told him ?' ' Yes ; I told him — didn't you tell Digby, who is only a brother ? — and he thinks the engagement should not be kept secret. He wants to know why it is not to be openly declared. ' ' Perhaps,' with a little paling of the face, but a merry uplifting of the chin, ' because, as I tell you, I love a mystery.' ' It ' — Lady Rosemary comes closer to her — ' it was you who proposed this silence, then ?' 'Another suspicion,' says Lovice slowly, drawing back a little. ' You will always misjudge him. I felt that, and now I shall give you something to go upon.

No ; it was not I who proposed silence : it was he. His uncle, who has it in his power to leave him a great deal of money, is therefore,' somewhat cynically, ' naturally very anxious that he should marry money ; and Godfrey thinks that for the present — it will be wise — to ' ' Of course, if it is so necessary as all that ; but it is sacrificing you,' says Lady Rosemary, choking down the pride that is almost suffocating her. ' But why Sir John Lambert should object to an alliance with a Devereux ' ' It is money only ! Can't you see ? ' But a secret engagement LOVICE 10 ' Hardly secret, surely, when you and Dolly and Digby know all about it.' ' I wonder how he allowed you to go so far,' bitterly. She pauses. Lovice has turned to the window, but Lady Rosemary can see the quick and guilty red that has crept into the nape of her neck.

There had been a tussle about that, then. He had not wished her own people, even under seal of silence, to be told. ' But, of course,' she goes on, an accentuated note of disgust in her tone, ' we were safe enough. Dolly, who never speaks if he can help it, and Digby, whose word is as good as his bond, and She stops. 'And you?' steadily, regarding her sister with wide-open eyes of cold inquiry, ' why do you keep it a secret?' ' Because,' quite as steadily, ' I believe it will never come to anything — that you will never marry him.' A moment they gaze into each other's eyes ; then Lovice's face breaks slowly into a smile. ' Isn't all this very silly ?' she says. ' We, who have never quarrelled — why should we say nasty things to each other over the inevitable ?' 'Ah ! but is it that, darling?' Lady Rosemary takes a step towards her.

Her eyes suddenly fill with tears. ' I think so ; and,' gently, ' as you know, I hope u so. Ah !' She has turned to the window, and now grows silent as she looks down to the road below that runs like a white ribbon through the valley. ' Here he comes !' There is elation in her tone. Lady Rosemary is peering over her shoulder. ' And from the direction of Johnville,' says she slowly. Lovice laughs. ' Ah ! you don't see — you won't see,' cries Lady Rosemary with sudden irritation. ' Lovice, you refused a little while ago to answer a question of mine, but tell me now the truth. Do you love Captain Lambert ?' Lovice flashes round upon her. ' For once hear it,' says she in a low, concentrated tone, her face v/hite, her eyes aflame : ' Yes, I love him — so well, so utterly, so entirely, that if he were to forget me I should die !

Are you satisfied ? Be satisfied ; for never again to you, or anyone, shall I speak of this thing.' She stops ; and perhaps it is the look of grieved astonishment in her sister's eyes, or because the little storm has worn itself out, but, anyhow, the sudden angry fire dies from her eyes, and a little apologetic smile grows upon her lips. ' I am developing a temper,' she says half nervously, half playfully. ' You must try to forgive me.' She moves to the window. ' A moment,' says Lady Rosemary, holding her. ' How do you know he is coming here ?' LOVICE 12 ' I told him I should be spending this afternoon with you.' 'Ah!' Lady Rosemary releases her. 'Well, don't be long. You know the Crichtons and Jim will be here for tea ; and, Lovice, I think — I honestly think — that Jim ought to be told.' ' Oh, Jim !' with a little grimace, as she steps lightly on to the balcony ; ' you have got him on the brain.' Lady Rosemary looks after her, her fair and handsome face grave with a most unusual disturbance. ' Poor old Jim !' sighs she. ' If I have got Jim on the brain, she has got that detestable Godfrey on the nerves ; and that " if he were to forget me !"

How she said that ! In what a tone ! And what a strange thing to say ! Has she premonitions, doubts, already ? Oh, I do distrust that man ! I know,' sighing heavily, T shall never have another happy moment until he has gone to heaven — or the other place.' She turns aside impatiently. Then, being a creature of im pulses, another thought strikes her, and her whole face changes. ' Where on earth is baby ? I told nurse to bring him down at four sharp. I really believe that woman thinks he belongs to her !'

Chapter II

A QUALM, A REFUSAL, AND AN ACCEPTANCE. Lovice has run down the steps of the balcony, the sun glinting on the bronze glories of her splendid hair, looking most beautiful. ' Shall I compare thee to a summer day ?' Thou art more lovely.' And, indeed, this summer day can hold out no charm as seductive as Lovice, as she moves forward to meet her lover, with the delicate, gracious, swaying motion that belongs to her. ' You have come !' cries she gaily, holding out both her hands to him. Lambert is a tall man, well set up, fair, and very handsome, with eyes that are in colour as close to green as blue, and a mouth entirely hidden by an auburn moustache. ' You see me !' He has caught the hands in an impassioned manner. ' And — which is far better luck — I see you !' LOVICE 14 She laughs. Perhaps something of Lady Rose mary's late conversation rankles in her mind, be cause, still with the dearest smile upon her lips, she says : ' You have come from Miss Johns to me !' If she had expected denial she is disappointed. 'To my delight,' says he, moving the pretty hands in his to and fro. ' Contrasts are always charming.' She draws her hands gently, but with determination, out of his. ' I don't like to be contrasted,' says she, with a little pout which, however playful, has a touch of hauteur in it. 'Who could compare you?' He moves to her. ' Are you not beyond compare ?

Don't ' — a sudden light that she has learned to know and love growing in his strange blue eyes — ' don't let us quarrel to-day, sweetheart — to-day of all days.' A shadow falls upon his face as he says this. He had for the moment forgotten what made him so sore at heart as he came here ; but now cruel memory asserts itself again. The letter lying in his pocket contains news distinctly unpalatable. All the morning its detestable contents have been beating themselves upon his brain. Even during his luncheon with Miss Johns and her aunt, Miss La Forza, he could not get rid of it — nay, it had spoken even more loudly then. But now — he pulls himself together — now, whatever it may cost — whatever it may cost any other save himself — he will be freed of the haunting torment — he will be happy !

What does the hour count ? It comes, it goes ; and if to-morrow the penalty must be paid Well, let to-morrow come ! ' Ah, yes, to-day !' She has yielded herself to his embrace. ' You, too, have noticed the beauty of it. We must not fight even one battle to-day. It is so lovely, so calm, so sweet.' ' So,' eagerly, ' like you !' ' Just now !' laughing. ' But the clouds will come again, Godfrey, and we again shall come to — daggers drawn.' ' What a life,' playfully, ' you open up before us !' As he says this he almost feels the letter in his pocket, but the knowledge of it does not check his playful wooing of her for the moment. If this thing be true, how can he marry her ? She so fortuneless, and he so steeped in debt. But avaunt all troublous thoughts ! To-day — to-day is his ! ' A life full of variety, at all events.' Her voice is light with a sweet audacity. ' And I love change.

Don't you?' He is silent. The unconscious irony of her innocent words has entered into him. Soon, if what he has heard is true, there will be change enough — change sudden, eternal. ' However, we mustn't quarrel any more, dearest,' LOVICE continues she, pressing her beautiful cheek to his, and rubbing it softly — softly — up and down. ' After all, it is a stupid trick of ours, and means so little. Even if our worst quarrel came to its worst, it would make no difference between you and me, would it? Because we trust each other so.' She is in his arms, her head now lying against his shoulder, so that she cannot see the shadow that has crept into his eyes. That old thought is with him once again, the thought of a final quarrel with her. If it becomes necessary to break this engagement with her — this engagement that he had insisted on keeping secret — there must be a quarrel that will leave him in the right, and so set him free to con tract another marriage that will relieve him of his debts, and lift him to that state of life to which he feels he has been called.

But how hateful that this thought should intrude itself upon him now — just now at this supreme moment ! He feels very angry with it. One should be allowed a few happy pauses in this hideous trudge through life. His eyes are on her face — her exquisite, earnest, trusting face. ' How beautiful you are !' cries he with sudden passion, and- — to do him justice — some far deeper feeling in his tone. He stoops, and slowly, with a sort of desperation in his air, presses his lips to hers. 'Am I?' She smiles happily at him. 'Really beautiful ? If it be true, Godfrey, I am glad— glad for your sake.' ' Be glad for your own,' says he almost brusquely — if the worst comes, will she be glad of her beauty ? — ' not for mine.' She has made him fed, for the first time in his life, unworthy ; and the experience is distinctly un pleasant.

He resents it — later on. But just now, with her beautiful face so close to his, more generous thoughts prevail. ' Why, it comes to the same thing, surely,' with the charming, insouciant air that in her happiest moments belongs to her. ' Can't you see ? I am glad for my own sake that I am — well ' — with a pretty gesture — ' passable, because it has made you love me. I have admired myself immensely ever since that lovely fact. See, now, what you have done. You have waked my first evil thought within my breast! I grow vain.' Her new-born vanity seems to amuse her ; she laughs. ' But, come,' she goes on lightly, ' let us get all the sweetness we can out of this heavenly evening. Come to the garden ; the roses are a very dream.' He follows her in a dull sort of way, that letter hanging on his spirits, until, reaching the old mound near the rose-garden, they stop, seeing Lady Rosemary coming from the summer house.

LOVICE 'Ah! your sister,' says Lambert easily; then: ' How d'ye do, Lady Rosemary?' 'You here!' says she, with a sufficiently pleasant air. ' Lovice mentioned to me a chance of your coming. You walked over? I hope you will stay and take tea with us.' ' So sorry, but ' 'You can't?' trying with really wonderful success to look disappointed. ' I am afraid not.' He lifts his handsome brows, and gives her one of his deepest, friendliest smiles, which, as a rule, dis arm all criticism. On this occasion the smile only serves to add another touch to Lady Rosemary's ex traordinary dislike to him. ' Then it is, of course, we who have to be sorry,' she says graciously, thus dismissing him. ' I think not.' He is looking beyond her, to her still more beautiful sister. ' We shall see you to-morrow, however,' says Lovice, giving him her hand. ' Only ourselves, you know, and perhaps a few outsiders — a very few.' Her charming smile widens into a frank, open declaration of the fact that she knows — is sure, quite sure — that to find her comparatively alone will be as sweet to him as it will be to her — will add, indeed, an incentive to his coming.

This pretty confidence strikes to his heart. He leaves them, and Lovice having gone directly to the house, Lady Rosemary stands still upon the garden-path, looking after him. What is there about this man to so deeply attract Lovice — Lovice, who up to this has been so difficult, so impossible to please ? Excellent manners he has, no doubt, and a handsome face, and beyond question comes of a very respectable lineage, but these virtues might be laid to the charge of hundreds of other men upon whom Lovice has not deigned to cast a glance. He has even sufficiently good prospects, being heir to Sir John Lambert's title, if not to his estates, which are not entailed, and Sir John, if not exactly a Methuselah, or likely to quit this best of all possible worlds to-morrow, has at all events been so long a bachelor as to make attempts upon his single blessed ness to be viewed in the light of the forlornest of all forlorn hopes.

This prospective title has added very considerably to Lambert's prestige up to this, a young man, heir to fifteen thousand a year, being a distinctly desirable addition to most circles. That the entail was broken just before Sir John came to the throne is not generally known, and Captain Lambert has not been at pains to make the matter public. But he knows it himself, and knows, too, one thing more — that Sir John is a confirmed miser, that money is in truth his god, and that if he marries a girl as poor as Lovice, no matter how good her birth may be, he will stand 2 — LOVICE 20 a good chance of being disinherited, so far as money goes, and a title without money is a very barren honour indeed. Lady Rosemary is one of the few who know of the broken entail, and this, perhaps, has induced her to agree to her sister's request that the engagement should be kept an entire secret.