She felt miserably guilty.

Not yet had she arrived at the stage when she could justify her blindness and deafness to herself.

Later, she would understand how custom, the life-long habit of regarding the minister as a man apart, had helped to dull her perception.

Later, common sense would prove her innocent of any wilful blunder.

But just now, in her first bewilderment, it seemed that nothing could ever excuse that lack of understanding which had made this declaration possible! "I love you, Esther! I have loved you for two years." (It was like the Reverend Angus to refer to the exact period.) "You must have seen it.
This can be no surprise to you.