“I could not come,” she answered. “Lady Mary has been with me all the time. I think that she suspects.”
“Surely you are clever enough,” he answered, “to outwit a little simpleton like that. Has Rochester been interfering?”
“If he knew that I even spoke to you,” she answered, “I think that he would send me away.”
“It is not kind of them,” he said, “to be so bitter against me.”
She shrank from him.
“If they knew!” she said. “If they only knew that I even thought of marrying you, or—or—”
Saton shrugged his shoulders.
“Ah, well,” he said, “they know as much as it is well for them to know! After all, you see, no harm has happened to your guardian. I saw him to-day, on his way home from hunting. He looked strong and well enough. Tell me, Lois,” he continued, “has he had any visitors from London the last few days? I don’t mean guests—I mean people to see him on business?”
“Not that I know of,” she answered. “Why?”