about one o'clock on
Monday
Biddy , the favourite of the two girls , had once or twice asked her mistress what ailed her , and whether she was ill ; but Feemy only answered her crossly that she was bothered with that horrid headache , and the girl could only believe that either this was actually the case , or else that she had quarrelled with her lover ; and as it was now three days since he had been at Ballycloran , she at last determined that this was the case . During these three days , Feemy had frequently made up her mind , or rather she fancied she had made up her mind to give Ussher up , -- to go and confess it all to Father John , or to tell it to Mrs. McKeon ; and if it had not been for the false pride within her , which would not allow her to own that she had been deceived , and that her lover was unworthy , she would have done so . His present coolness , and his cruelty in not coming to see her , though they did not destroy her love , greatly shook it ; and had she had one kind word to assist her in the struggle within herself , she might still have prevented much of the misery which her folly was fated to produce . When Mrs. McKeon and her daughters came for her about one o'clock on Monday , the small exertion necessary for putting up her clothes , had made her somewhat better -- something more able to talk than she had been before , and they did not then observe anything particular about her ; but she had been but a very short time at Drumsna , before it was evident to Mrs. McKeon , that something was the matter with her . When she questioned her , Feemy gave the same answer -- that she had a racking headache ; and though this did very well for a time , before the evening was over , the good lady was certain that something more than a headache afflicted her guest . The next day , according to his promise , Ussher called , but of course at Mrs. McKeon 's house he could not see her alone ; that lady and her daughters were present all the time . When he came in , Ussher shook hands with Feemy as he would with anybody else , and began talking gaily to the two other girls .