"But I'm afraid this does concern me, Lady Clifford, very much indeed," replied Esther, as lightly as she could. "Do forgive me if I caught hold of you rather roughly. I am sure you didn't realise what you were doing. It—it was really dangerous for him, you know."
"Dangerous!" repeated the other with withering contempt. "For him! T'ck!—leave us, please. There is something I must say to him. I will not forget myself, I promise you!"
"No, Lady Clifford, really, not to-day. It wouldn't be wise. We must get him quiet."
Sir Charles interposed in a whisper:
"It's quite settled, my dear, I've nothing further to say. You will see that I am right."
She burst out hysterically, trying to get past Esther to the bed:
"No, no, you do not understand; you are doing a terrible thing!
Charles darling, if you love me…"
She broke off abruptly, staring at the hall door.
Following her gaze, Esther saw that Roger had just entered and was looking gravely from one to the other of the three. It seemed likely that he had heard the disturbance and was come to investigate.
"There he is now!" cried Thérèse, pointing at her stepson. "Tell him you will make some other arrangement, that you have changed your mind; you will, you must!"