The Mayor of Casterbridge Chapter 35

In which Lucetta, burdened by a restless conscience and the shadow of past secrets, confronts the uneasy tension wrought by Henchard’s unexpected visit and his reading of her letters, while weaving a delicate hope through entreaty and humility. The dawn sees a moment of rare concession and promise between them, as Henchard grants to Lucetta a fragile reprieve in the form of a solemn oath to preserve her secret and return her letters.