“And you said nothing about it?”
“No, I wished to make myself secure, and to see my way before speaking out.”
“What shall you do? Can you trust to Rose’s identifying him?”
“I shall ride in to-morrow to see what is going on, and judge if it will be well to let her see this man, if he have not gone off, as I should fear was only too likely. Poor little Lady Temple, her exploit has precipitated matters.”
“And you will let every one, Dr. Long and all, know what a wretch they have believed. And then—”
“Stay, Alison, I am afraid they will not take Maddox’s subsequent guilt as a proof of Edward’s innocence.”
“It is a proof that his stories were not worth credit.”
“To you and me it is, who do not need such proof. It is possible that among his papers something may be found that may implicate him and clear Edward, but we can only hold off and watch. And I greatly fear both man and woman will have slipped through our fingers, especially if she knew you.”
“Poor Maria, who could have thought of such frightful barbarity?” sighed Alison. “I knew she was a passionate girl, but this is worse than one can bear to believe.”
She ceased, for she had been inexpressibly shocked, and her heart still yearned towards every Beauchamp school child.