Lady Audley's Secret

Robert is thinking about how pleasant life is. If Clara had only been five minutes later when running out to stop him, he would have thought her cold and aloof. Now he knows that she is noble and beautiful, and wonders what impact their meeting will have on his life. 

Robert dines at a luxurious restaurant but is preoccupied. He is glad to act on Clara’s behalf rather than of his own volition, and starts thinking about women: how they do not merely go along with the flow of life but are assertive, stubborn, and noisy. Robert then has the savage thought that he hates women; especially since George’s tragedy can be traced to various women. Even Alicia is a nuisance who will try to force Robert to marry her.

When he returns to his chambers, he feels lonely and wishes that George or Clara were there. The next day, he receives a short note from Clara, along with George’s letters. One letter was written in Liverpool, and focuses on George’s desire to start a new life. Another features a loving description of Helen Talboys. Robert muses that, if George had known what purpose this description would ultimately serve, he would have been paralyzed with horror.