Mary Wells made it fatally easy to her. She was the agent. Lady Bassett was silent and passive.
After all she had a hope of extrication. Sir Charles once cured, she would make him travel Europe with her. Money would relieve her of Mary Wells, and distance cut all the other cords.
And, indeed, a time came when she looked back on her present situation with wonder at the distress it had caused her. “I was in shallow water then,” said she—“but now!”
CHAPTER XX.
SIR CHARLES observed that he was never trusted alone. He remarked this, and inquired, with a peculiar eye, why that was.
Lady Bassett had the tact to put on an innocent look and smile, and say: “That is true, dearest. I have tied you to my apron-string without mercy. But it serves you right for having fits and frightening me. You get well, and my tyranny will cease at once.”
However, after this she often left him alone in the garden, to remove from his mind the notion that he was under restraint from her.
Mr. Bassett observed this proceeding from his tower.
One day Mr. Angelo called, and Lady Bassett left Sir Charles in the garden, to go and speak to him.