"Oh," Mrs. Armour was about to start towards the parlour, when Herries stopped her.
"No. Go back to your husband. Take him home, and get him sober. If he dares to say another word about Miss Tedder, I shall have him arrested."
"Yes, yes, I'll go,--I'll stop him speaking. But oh, sir," Mrs. Armour wheeled at the door with clasped hands, "believe me, my young lady is innocent."
"Yes, I believe that, but I must hear what she has to say, before exonerating her. Now go."
Mrs. Armour fled like a hare, and clutching her husband dragged him home, scolding him all the way in a low vehement tone.
"You fool, you fool," she muttered, "you'll ruin me, you'll ruin yourself."
"I didn't mean," mumbled Armour, now growing sober and terrified, for he really had scanty reason to say what he had said.
"You didn't mean,--you born fool. If this ends in a police court it will be the worse for us both. My young lady is innocent, but you have placed her in a most dangerous position. You beast, you ass, you wretch, but I'll trounce you. I'll take it out of you," and half-dragged, half-driven, Armour was brought back to his home.
In the meanwhile Herries gave Alice a shilling to hold her tongue, promising her more if she did not speak. "And especially, not to Mrs. Narby," said Herries, impressively.
"I'm fly," said the small servant, biting the shilling to see that it was a good one. "I don't tell her anything, if I can help. She hammers me too hard, sir."