“Oh no, sir! I—was thinking only how much rather I would see my father’s old friend sooner than later,” answered Alexander, again true in the letter but false in the spirit of his reply.
And so Mr. Lyon concluded that there was no alternative for him but to stay in town all night as well as all day. And he did so, fully carrying out the programme sketched for him by his uncle, but feeling all the while great pain from the thought that his poor lonely young wife would sit up the whole night waiting anxiously for his return.
The next day was quite as much taken up with engagements as any former day had been; and so it was long past midnight when Alick got home.
He found Drusilla wan and wasted with waiting and watching there two days and nights of suspense and anxiety; but he saw no look of reproach in her gentle eyes, heard no word of blame from her sweet lips.
He perceived her sufferings and was angry with himself for causing them, and he began some lame explanation of his absence.
But she saw his embarrassment and stopped his faltering words with a kiss, and she said:
“Dear Alick, it is enough that you are here again to make me happy. You do not need to render your poor little wife, who has not much wisdom of her own, an account of your actions.”
And she told him the little news of the two days at home, and she laughed and jested and served his supper with her old cheerfulness and alacrity.
The next morning Alexander went to town with the deliberate purpose of ending his own perplexities and his wife’s sufferings, by doing the right thing and confessing his secret marriage, to his uncle.
But ah! it always happened whenever an especial fit of repentance moved Alexander to amendment, something occurred to throw him back upon his evil course and confirm him in it.