Anne listened in silence to his recital, and when he ended drew a sigh of relief. "It might have been worse," she said.
"I don't see how it could be," replied Ware bluntly. "Morley will insist that you are guilty, and Steel thinks so too. I must admit that he wavers between you and this man you fled with. Come now, Anne, tell me all."
"I shall not have much time," she said hurriedly. "I dare not let Mr. Franklin know that I have met you. If I am not back in the Priory soon, he will send Portia to look for me."
"You can tell me much in ten minutes. Who is the man?"
"My father," she replied in a low voice.
Giles could hardly speak for surprise. "But your father is dead?"
"I thought he was," said Anne. "I have believed it these many months. But when I saw him in Mr. Morley's library on that night I knew that he still lived."
"But I can't understand how you made such a mistake. Does Morley know?"
She shook her head. "I managed to restrain myself. Mr. Morley knows nothing. Afterwards I went to the church in the hope of meeting my father. He was in church."
"I saw him," said Giles; "but tell me how the mistake occurred."