Lady Monk perceived that Mr. Palliser had in truth left his wife behind because he believed her to be ill, and not because he was afraid of Burgo Fitzgerald. So accomplished a woman as Lady Monk felt no doubt that the wife's absence was caused by fear of the lover, and not by any cold caught in viewing ruins by moonlight. She was not to be deceived in such a matter. But she became aware that Mr. Palliser had been deceived. As she was right in this we must go back for a moment, and say a word of things as they went on at Matching after Alice Vavasor had left that place.
Alice had told Miss Palliser that steps ought to be taken, whatever might be their cost, to save Lady Glencora from the peril of a visit to Monkshade. To this Miss Palliser had assented, and, when she left Alice, was determined to tell Mr. Palliser the whole story. But when the time for doing so had come, her courage failed her. She could not find words in which to warn the husband that his wife would not be safe in the company of her old lover. The task with Lady Glencora herself, bad as that would be, might be easier, and this task she at last undertook,--not without success.

Lady Monk perceived that Mr. Palliser had in truth left his wife behind because he believed her to be ill, and not because he was afraid of Burgo Fitzgerald. But she was sure that the wife's absence was caused by fear of Burgo. She felt that Mr. Palliser had been deceived. As she was right in this, we must go back for a moment, to the events after Alice had left Matching.
Alice had told Miss Palliser that steps ought to be taken to save Lady Glencora from the peril of a visit to Monkshade. Miss Palliser had agreed, and, when she left Alice, was determined to tell Mr. Palliser. But her courage failed her. She could not find words in which to warn the husband that his wife would not be safe in the company of her old lover. However, she managed to speak to Lady Glencora herself.
