Equally a relief
on both sides. She goes her way, I go mine."
His tone disgusted Iris--and she let him see it. "Is it of any use to
ask you for Mrs. Vimpany's address?" she inquired.
His atrocious good-humour kept its balance as steadily as ever: "Sorry
to disappoint you. Mrs. Vimpany hasn't given me her address. Curious,
isn't it? The fact is, she moped a good deal, after you left us; talked
of her duty, and the care of her soul, and that sort of thing. When I
hear where she is, I'll let you know with pleasure. To the best of my
belief, she's doing nurse's work somewhere."
"Nurse's work? What do you mean?"
"Oh, the right thing--all in the fashion. She belongs to what they call
a Sisterhood; goes about, you know, in a shabby black gown, with a poke
bonnet. At least, so Lord Harry told me the other day."
In spite of herself, Iris betrayed the agitation which those words
instantly roused in her. "Lord Harry!" she exclaimed. "Where is he? In
London?"
"Yes--at Parker's Hotel."
"When did he return?"
"Oh, a few days ago; and--what do you think?--he's come back from the
goldfields a lucky man. Damn it, I've let the cat out of the bag! I was
to keep the thing a secret from everybody, and from you most
particularly.
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