Next moment I felt her hand on my arm, and in another, her voice in my ear. This is what she said:
“I thought he loved Orpha. Before God I thought he loved her as much as he loved fortune. Had I not, I would have let things alone and given you your full chance. But—but—listen.”
Edgar was stirring in the adjoining room, throwing his arms about and muttering words which soon took on emphasis and I heard:
“Lucy! Lucy! how could I help it? I had to do what Uncle said. Every one had to. But you are my only love, you! you!”
As these words subsided into moans, and moans into silence, I felt my arm gripped.
“That’s what’s killing me,” was breathed again into my ears. “I did what I did and all for this. He will fight for the money but not to spend on Orpha, and you, you love her. We all know that now.”
“Be calm,” I said. “It is all coming right. Miss Colfax will soon be married. And—and if Edgar is innocent—”
“Innocent?”
“Of anything worse than planning to marry one woman while loving another—”
“But he is not. He—”