ItsometimesbroughtbacktohimthathideousshakinessofnervewhichhadbeenafeatureofhisillnesswhenhehadbeenontheRivierawithTeresita。
OfallthisBettyonlyknewtheoutwardsignswhich，takenattheirexteriorsignificance，weredetestableenough，anddroveherhardasshementallydweltontheminconnectionwithotherthings。Howeasy，ifshestoodalone，todefyhisevilinsolencetodoitsworst，andleavingtheplaceatanhour’snotice，tosailawaytoprotection，or，ifshechosetoremaininEngland，tosurroundherselfwithabodyguardofthepeopleinwhoseeyeshisdisreputerelegatedamansuchasNigelAnstrutherstopowerlessnonentity。Alone，shecouldhavesmiledandturnedherbackuponhim。ButshewasheretotakecareofRosy。
Sheoccupiedapositionsomethinglikethatofawomanwhoremainswithamanandenduresoutragebecauseshecannotleaveherchild。Thatthought，initself，broughtUghtredtohermind。TherewasUghtredtobeconsideredaswellashismother。Ughtred’sloveforandfaithinherweredeepandpassionatethings。Hefedonhertendernessforhim，andhadgrownstrongerbecausehespenthoursofeachdaytalking，reading，anddrivingwithher。ThesimpletruthwasthatneithershenorRosaliecoulddesertUghtred，andsolongasNigelmanagedcleverlyenough，thelawwouldgivetheboytohisfather。
\"Youareobligedtoprovethings，youknow，inacourtoflaw，\"hehadsaid，asifwithcasualamiability，onacertainoccasion。\"Provingthingsisthedevil。Peoplelosetheirtempersandrushintorowswhichendinlawsuits，andthenfindtheycanprovenothing。IfIwereavillain，\"slightlyshowinghisteethinanagreeablesmile——\"insteadofamanofblamelesslife，Ishouldgoinonlyforthatbranchofmyprofessionwhichcouldbeexercisedwithoutleavingstupidevidencebehind。\"
SincehisreturntoStornhamtheoutwarddecorumofhisownconducthadentertainedhimandhehadkeptitupwithanincreasingappreciationofitsusefulnessinthepresentsituation。Whatsoeverhappenedintheend，itwasthepartofdiscretiontopresenttotheruralworldabouthimanappearanceofuprightbehaviour。Hehadevenfounditamusingtogotochurchandalsotooccasionallymakeamiablecallsatthevicarage。Itwasnotdifficult，atsuchtimes，toreferdelicatelytohisregretthatdomesticdiscomforthadledhimintotheerrorofremainingmuchawayfromStornham。Heknewthathehadbeenevenrathertouchinginhisexpressionofinterestinthefutureofhisson，andthenecessityoftheboy’sbeingprotectedfromuncontrolledhystericinfluences。