Blind Love

Surprise silenced Hugh for the moment. Iris understood the look that he

fixed on her, and answered it. "I am quite sure," she told him, "of

what I say."

Mountjoy's well-balanced mind hesitated at rushing to a conclusion.

"I am sure you are convinced of what you tell me," he said. "But

mistakes do sometimes happen in forming a judgment of handwriting."

In the state of excitement that now possessed her, Iris was easily

irritated; she was angry with Hugh for only supposing that she might

have made a mistake. He had himself, as she reminded him, seen Lord

Harry's handwriting in past days. Was it possible to be mistaken in

those bold thickly-written characters, with some of the letters so

quaintly formed? "Oh, Hugh, I am miserable enough as it is," she broke

out; "don't distract me by disputing what I know! Think of a woman so

kind, so disinterested, so charming--the very opposite of a false

creature--think of Mrs. Vimpany having deceived me!"

There was not the slightest reason, thus far, for placing that

interpretation on what had happened. Mountjoy gently, very gently,

remonstrated.

"My dear, we really don't know yet that Mrs. Vimpany has been acting

under Lord Harry's instructions. Wait a little before you suspect your

fellow-traveller of offering her services for the purpose of deceiving

you."

Iris was angry with him again: "Why did Mrs. Vimpany never tell me she

knew Lord Harry? Isn't that suspicious?"

Mountjoy smiled. "Let me put a question on my side," he said. "Did

you tell Mrs. Vimpany you knew Lord Harry?" Iris made no reply; her

face spoke for her. "Well, then," he urged, "is your silence

suspicious? I am far, mind, from saying that this may not be a very

unpleasant discovery. Only let us be sure first that we are right."

With most of a woman's merits, Miss Henley had many of a woman's

faults. Still holding to her own conclusion, she asked how they could

expect to be sure of anything if they addressed their inquiries to a

person who had already deceived them.

Mountjoy's inexhaustible indulgence still made allowances for her.

"When Mrs. Vimpany comes back," he said, "I will find an opportunity of

mentioning Lord Harry's name. 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?"