"I know how intolerant he is of any one he dislikes; and no doubt he has taken a dislike to her; she has done everything to provoke it, indeed by her coldness and rudeness to him." That day went by, and the second and third day of the dowager's absence; but there was no sign of John Saltram.

Adela thought of writing to ask him to come to her; but that seemed such a desperate step, she could not think how she should word the letter, or how she could give it to one of the servants to post.

No, she would contrive to post it herself, if she did bring herself to write.

And then she thought of a still more desperate step.

What if she were to call upon Mr.Saltram at his Temple chambers?
It would be a most unwarrantable thing for her to do, of course; an act which would cause Mrs.Pallinson's hair to stand on end in virtuous horror, could it by any means come to her knowledge; but Adela did not intend that it ever should be known to Mrs.Pallinson; and about the opinion of the world in the abstract, Mrs.Branston told herself that she cared very little.