Not at
all."
"We cannot, Harry," said his wife.
"We cannot, my dear. _Bien entendu!_ Well, Iris, there is no more to be
said. You know the situation completely. You can back out of it if you
please, and leave me. Then I shall have to begin all over again a new
conspiracy far more dangerous than the last. Well, I shall not drag you
down with me. That is my resolution. If it comes to public
degradation--but it shall not. Iris, I promise you one thing." For once
he looked as if he meant it. "Death before dishonour. Death without
your name being mixed up at all, save with pity for being the wife of
such a man."
Again he conquered her.
"Harry," she said, "I will go."
CHAPTER LVIII
OF COURSE THEY WILL PAY
THREE days afterwards a hansom cab drove to the offices of the very
respectable firm of solicitors who managed the affairs of the Norland
family. They had one or two other families as well, and in spite of
agricultural depression, they made a very good thing indeed out of a
very comfortable business. The cab contained a lady in deep widow's
weeds.
Lady Harry Norland expected to be received with coldness and suspicion.
Her husband, she knew, had not led the life expected in these days of a
younger son.
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