‘I see it all,’ said Mervyn. ‘I was an ass to suppose such needy rogues could come near girls of fortune without running up the scent. As I told Phœbe, I know they had some monstrous ideas of the amount, which I never thought it worth my while to contradict. I imagine old Jack only intended a promising little flirtation, capable of being brought to bear if occasion served, but otherwise to be cast aside as child’s play. Nobody could suspect such an inflammable nature with that baby face; but it seems she was ready to eat her fingers with dulness in the school-room, and had prodigious notions of the rights of woman; so she took all he said most seriously, and met him more than half-way. Then he goes to London, gets better information, looks at the will in Doctors’ Commons, maybe, finds it a slowish speculation, and wants to let her down easy; whereof she has no notion, writes two letters to his one, as we know, gets desperate, and makes this excursion.’
Robert thoughtfully said ‘Yes;’ and Phœbe, though she did not like to betray it, mentally owned that the intercepted letter confirmed Mervyn’s opinion, being evidently meant to pacify what was inconveniently ardent and impassioned, without making tangible promises or professions.
The silence was broken by Mervyn. ‘There! I shall go to bed. Phœbe, when you see that poor child, tell her not to be afraid of me, for the scrape was of my making, so don’t be sharp with her.’
‘I hope not,’ said Robert gravely; ‘I am beginning to learn
that severity is injustice, not justice. Good night, Mervyn; I hope this has not done you harm.’
‘I am glad not to be at Paddington this minute,’ said Mervyn. ‘You will stay and help us through this business. It is past us.’
‘I will stay as long as I can, if you wish it.’
Phœbe’s fervent ‘Thank you!’ was for both. She had never heard such friendly tones between those two, though Mervyn’s were still half sullen, and chiefly softened by dejection and weariness.
‘Why, Phœbe,’ cried Robert, as the door closed, ‘how could you not tell me this?’
‘I thought I had told you that he was very unwell.’