Eric Gwatkin was very sorry for her. He would have spared her if he could. It was better for her to hear it from his lips than from others.
'He has done great things,' he said. 'It was enough to turn anybody's head. He will go down in a day or two, and the temptation will not occur again. You do not know—how should you?—how great the temptation is—what a supreme moment this is in a man's life!'
'No,' Lucy said, with a shiver, 'I do not know.'
They had reached the door of the lodge while they were talking together, and Eric had rung the bell.
'Why do you ring?' she said sharply.
He hung his head.
'I came over to see if Nurse Brannan can be spared for a few minutes,' he said guiltily.
'Is he so bad as that?' Lucy asked; but she did not offer to go to him.
'Ye—es; he is very bad. Mr. Colville is with him, and he thought that the nurse ought to be with him until the doctor comes.'
'You have sent for a doctor?'