The New Magdalen

He rose suddenly to his feet and left her, without a word or a look,

walking slowly down the length of the room. When he turned and came back

to her, his face was composed; he was master of himself again.

Mercy was the first to speak. She turned the conversation from herself

by reverting to the proceedings in Lady Janet's room.

"You spoke of Horace just now," she said, "in terms which surprised me.

You appeared to think that he would not hold me to my explanation. Is

that one of the conclusions which you draw from Lady Janet's letter?"

"Most assuredly," Julian answered. "You will see the conclusion as I

see it if we return for a moment to Grace Roseberry's departure from the

house."

Mercy interrupted him there. "Can you guess," she asked, "how Lady Janet

prevailed upon her to go?"

"I hardly like to own it," said Julian. "There is an expression in the

letter which suggests to me that Lady Janet has offered her money, and

that she has taken the bribe."

"Oh, I can't think that!"

"Let us return to Horace. Miss Roseberry once out of the house, but one

serious obstacle is left in Lady Janet's way. That obstacle is Horace

Holmcroft."

"How is Horace an obstacle?"

"He is an obstacle in this sense. He is under an engagement to marry you

in a week's time; and Lady Janet is determined to keep him (as she is

determined to keep every one else) in ignorance of the truth. She will

do that without scruple. But the inbred sense of honor in her is not

utterly silenced yet. She cannot, she dare not, let Horace make you

his wife under the false impression that you are Colonel Roseberry's

daughter. You see the situation? On the one hand, she won't enlighten

him. On the other hand, she cannot allow him to marry you blindfold. In

this emergency what is she to do? There is but one alternative that I

can discover. She must persuade Horace (or she must irritate Horace)

into acting for himself, and breaking off the engagement on his own

responsibility."

Mercy stopped him. "Impossible!" she cried, warmly. "Impossible!"

"Look again at her letter," Julian rejoined. "It tells, you plainly that

you need fear no embarrassment when you next meet Horace. If words

mean anything, those words mean that he will not claim from you the

confidence which you have promised to repose in him. On what condition

is it possible for him to abstain from doing that? On the one condition

that you have ceased to represent the first and foremost interest of his

life."

Mercy still held firm. "You are wronging Lady Janet," she said.

Julian smiled sadly.

"Try to look at it," he answered, "from Lady Janet's point of view. Do

you suppose _she_ sees anything derogatory to her in attempting to break

off the marriage? I will answer for it, she believes she is doing you a

kindness. In one sense it _would_ be a kindness to spare you the shame

of a humiliating confession, and to save you (possibly) from being

rejected to your face by the man you love. In my opinion, the thing is

done already. I have reasons of my own for believing that my aunt will

succeed far more easily than she could anticipate. Horace's temper will

help her."