‘Oh yes, she will, old man,’ said the doctor, trying to speak gently in spite of his bitter disappointment. ‘You have owned up your fault, and that is the first step towards making amends; only remember you must face the consequences whatever they are. Uncle Walter and Aunt Dora must be told, and Joe must be set at liberty and his name cleared at once; and you must tell the police exactly what happened on Sunday, and describe the man who gave you the cakes for Monarch. It won’t be easy for you, I’m afraid.’
But Vivian was too broken-down and exhausted to take much thought for the morrow. ‘If only Isobel would get better!’ he sobbed. ‘Surely God will see that I’m sorry, and give her back?’
‘That must be as God wills,’ said his father gravely; ‘and now you must go to bed, and try to sleep, and to-morrow we will talk about it again and decide what is to be done. I think perhaps that you had better go back with me to London, for the policemen must be told about the man in the summer-house at once, and they will want you to give them his description; but whether Aunt Dora is told at present or not will depend on the news that we get in the morning.’
Then, seeing how worn out Vivian was, he lifted him in his arms as if he were a baby, and gave him a fatherly kiss. ‘Don’t despair, old man,’ he said. ‘Remember every one can build fresh beginnings on the ruins made by their old faults;’ and then he carried him up to bed, as he used to do in the far-off days before Dorothy was born. He pushed the door of the bedroom gently open so as not to disturb Ronald; but Ronald was awake, and eager to know what had happened, and why Vivian had been so long downstairs.
‘Shall I tell him?’ asked Dr Armitage. He felt that this at least should be left to Vivian to decide. The answer was soon given.
‘Oh Ronnie, Ronnie!’ cried Vivian, going back to his baby name for his brother, ‘let me come into your bed;’ and, clinging to the elder brother, whom he had so often laughed at but whom he loved with all his heart, he sobbed out his confession for the second time, and then fell asleep with his head on Ronald’s shoulder, comforted by his simple words of encouragement:
‘Never mind, you’ve been brave and confessed; and I’m sure God will make it all right about Isobel.’