Mountjoy. Mrs. Vimpany seized her husband indignantly by the arm.
"You brute, you have spoilt everything!" she said to him. "Apologise
directly to Mr. Mountjoy. You won't?"
"I won't!"
Experience had taught his wife how to break him to her will. "Do you
remember my diamond pin?" she whispered.
He looked startled. Perhaps he thought she had lost the pin.
"Where is it?" he asked eagerly.
"Gone to London to be valued. Beg Mr. Mountjoy's pardon, or I will put
the money in the bank--and not one shilling of it do you get."
In the meanwhile, Iris had justified Mrs. Vimpany's apprehensions. Her
indignation noticed nothing but the insult offered to Hugh. She was too
seriously agitated to be able to speak to him. Still admirably calm,
his one anxiety was to compose her.
"Don't be afraid," he said; "it is impossible that I can degrade myself
by quarrelling with Mr. Vimpany. I only wait here to know what you
propose to do. You have Mrs. Vimpany to think of."
"I have nobody to think of but You," Iris replied. "But for me, you
would never have been in this house. After the insult that has been
offered to you--oh, Hugh, I feel it too!--let us return to London
together.
Pages:
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150