She heard only the first words of his reply.
“Thank Heaven for that, at least. It is well to know that. I think now I can bear everything else,” she sighed, as the tension of her nerves relaxed, and she sank down among the cushions and closed her eyes. This reaction from her illogical but deadly terror was so great, that she nearly swooned. And now to feel certain that he was alive and well seemed all sufficient for her satisfaction.
Dick did not disturb her by a word, look, or gesture. He was pleased to put off the evil hour of explanation as long as possible, even if it were to be forever; and he mentally bemoaned the hardship of the duty he felt compelled to do, and he wished himself anywhere else but where he was.
In a few minutes Drusilla recovered herself, and with an effort sat up and said:
“Mr. Hammond, you assure me that my husband is alive and well; as indeed I ought to have known from your previous conversation; only that in my sudden alarm I did not remember it. I am not very rational, I think. But now that my fears for his safety are set at rest, I do not dread to hear any other ill news that you may have to tell me. So speak out freely and without fear for me. I am strong enough to sustain the shock of common calamities,” she added, with a smile.
And in saying these words, she only thought of Mr. Lyon’s supposed lawsuit, “connected with his late father’s will,” and she fancied that Dick had come to tell her of its failure.
“Then I will do so, Mrs. Lyon—Drusilla! I wish you would let me call you so, as I used to do when you were a little child,” said Dick, gently and gravely.
“You may call me anything that my husband will permit, Mr. Hammond. But until you have his sanction, you must call me Mrs. Lyon.”
“Ah, my dear child,” said Dick, mournfully, “I fear that is the very last name he will be willing to accord you.”
“What is it that you say, sir? What do you mean?” questioned Drusilla, in a low, breathless, hurried tone, as with his words there rushed upon her mind the recollection of her husband’s cruel letter, in which he had declared his union with her to be illegal, null and void, and to have always been so. And now she instantly connected Hammond’s visit and his untold news with that letter and its cruel communications. And she wondered if Dick knew anything about Alick’s supposed monomania; and if so, whether he rightly understood it, or whether he was misled by it.