CHAPTER XX.
A day or two later there came, forwarded from Paris, an English letter for Mrs.Costello.It arrived in the evening, at a time when they had no expectation of receiving anything, and Madame Everaert brought it up, and delivered it into Mrs.Costello's own hand, so that Lucia was not near enough to see from whom it came.

The general appearance of the letter made her think it was English, and she knew that Mr.Wynter had their present address and would not write to Paris.

So she felt a half-joyful, half-frightened suspicion that it must be from Maurice, and her idea was confirmed by her mother's proceedings.

For Mrs.Costello having looked at the address, put the letter quietly in her pocket, and went on talking about Father Paul, from whom they were expecting a visit.
Lucia could hardly restrain herself.

It was clear that Mrs.Costello did not mean to open the letter before her, or to tell her whence it came; but her anxiety to know was only increased by this certainty.