If she tells us that she knows him, there
will be good reason in that one circumstance, as it seems to me, for
continuing to trust her."
"Suppose she shams ignorance," Iris persisted, "and looks as if she had
never heard of his name before?"
"In that case, I shall own that I was wrong, and shall ask you to
forgive me."
The finer and better nature of Iris recovered its influence at these
words. "It is I who ought to beg pardon," she said. "Oh, I wish I could
think before I speak: how insolent and ill-tempered I have been! But
suppose I turn out to be right, Hugh, what will you do then?"
"Then, my dear, it will be my duty to take you and your maid away from
this house, and to tell your father what serious reasons there are"----
He abruptly checked himself. Mrs. Vimpany had returned; she was in
perfect possession of her lofty courtesy, sweetened by the modest
dignity of her smile.
"I have left you, Miss Henley, in such good company," she said, with a
gracious inclination of her head in the direction of Mountjoy, "that I
need hardly repeat my apologies--unless, indeed, I am interrupting a
confidential conversation."
It was possible that Iris might have betrayed herself, when the
doctor's wife had looked at her after examining the address on the
packet.
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