"Well now, I'm sure you're surprised to see me," she said, "and perhaps you're not too glad either.Alfred wanted to come too, but Isaid to him, 'No, Alfred, this will be just a little awkward at first, for Maggie Trenchard's got a grievance, and with some reason, too, so you'd better let me manage it alone the first meeting.'
Wasn't I right? Of course I was.And you can just say right out now, Maggie, exactly what's in your mind.It's not my fault that we're both in the same town.I'm sure you'd much rather never set eyes on me again, and I'm sure I can quite understand if you feel like that.
But there it is.I told you long ago in London that Alfred was after me, and I was in two minds about it-but of course I didn't dream you were going to marry a parson.You could have knocked me down with less than a feather when I saw it in the Skeaton News, 'That can't be my Margaret Cardinal,' I said, and yet it seemed so strange the two names and all.Well, and then I found it really WAS the same.IWAS astonished.You of all people the wife of a parson! However, you know your own mind best, and I'm sure Mr.Trenchard's a very lucky man.So you can just start off and curse me, Maggie, as much as you like."The strange thing was that as Maggie listened to this she felt a desire to embrace rather than curse.Of course Caroline had done her harm, she had, perhaps ruined Martin's life as well as her own, but the mistake had been originally Maggie's in trusting Caroline with more confidence than her volatile nature would allow her to hold.
And now, as she looked at Caroline and saw that pretty pink and white face, the slim beautiful body, the grace and gaiety, and childish amiability, her whole soul responded.Here was a friend, even though an indiscreet one, here was some one from home, the one human being in the whole of Skeaton who knew the old places and the old people, the Chapel, and the aunts--and Martin.She knew at once that it would have been far safer had Caroline not been there, that the temptation to discuss Martin would be irresistible, that she would yield to it, and that Caroline was in no way whatever to be trusted-she realised all these things, and yet she was glad.