He did not feel comfortable, either, to have Miss Rochester wait upon him—it seemed too much like assuming that she had a special interest and right in him, and he could not help recalling that unlucky episode in Paris, which had been witnessed by Mrs. Rochester, and so misconstrued. He felt that she had placed and was continuing to place him by these attentions, in a false position. He was therefore thankful enough when his brother made his appearance the next day and relieved her of her self-imposed task. Miss Rochester herself appeared to be in better spirits after Norman’s return, for in spite of the fact that she was fully determined to marry his brother, she was secretly very deeply in love with him, and knew that his affection for her was even stronger. With Mrs. Rochester confined to the sick-room of Salome, and Dr. Winthrop not yet able to be about the house, there was ample opportunity for these two to indulge their preference for the society of each other. Norman Winthrop really and truly loved the girl, and had determined to win her in spite of the contract that was so much talked about; but while Miss Rochester was steadfastly set upon securing the Rochester-Hamilton fortunes, she nevertheless craved excitement and amusement, and enjoyed coquetting with one who paid her such delightful compliments and who appeared so genuinely devoted to her. Much of her time, after his return, was spent in roaming about the grounds of the chateau with him, greatly to her mother’s annoyance, but much to Dr. Winthrop’s relief and comfort, although he did not know how she was employing her time. Salome was very ill for a week, but not delirious after the first day or two. She refused to have a physician, telling Mrs. Rochester that, if she would follow her directions, she could treat her well enough without one, since she had no local disease, and nature only required rest and some simple remedies to restore her to her normal condition. Mrs. Rochester was only too glad to dispense with a doctor, for she knew that his regular visits would excite comment among the servants, since Dr. Winthrop did not now need assistance, and she was determined to keep the girl’s presence in the house a secret if she could possibly do so. After the first week her fever subsided and she began to mend, and by the end of three weeks she said that she thought she was able to return to Paris. “What are you going to do when you get well?” Mrs. Rochester asked, while they were talking the matter over. “I intend to go back to my work in the hospitals, for the present,” Salome answered. Mrs. Rochester did not like the idea of this, for if Dr. Winthrop should also resume his practice there was great danger that the two might be reunited, in spite of the fact that Salome did not seem to wish her identity discovered. If she could only get her to leave the country there would be no need of trying to carry out her dangerous scheme of shutting her up in some institution.