"You can't help his thinking what he likes," said Mrs. Reade, with a gleam of mockery in her bright eyes.
"I can help his doing anything further to disturb her. I can see that he never meets or speaks to her again."
Mrs. Reade continued to smile, looking at her majestic mother with her bird-like head on one side.
"I hope so," she said. "I'm sure I hope so, if you can do it without her knowledge. But if you should have to act, whatever you do, don't make martyrs of them."
"Don't talk nonsense," retorted Mrs. Hardy.
CHAPTER VII.
"HE HAS COME BACK."