"What about the White Room?"
"That was a favourite fancy of Flora's. She loved a white room. I promised to furnish one in the new house."
"Then you did not furnish Ajax Villa for Miss Mason?"
"No; for Flora. News came that the old man was very ill--probably dying. The money had been left to Flora. On the strength of that, I spent my money in furnishing the villa, so that when we inherited the fortune I might take Flora there."
"It seems to me you counted your chickens before they were hatched, Fane," said Calvert; "but it's just the sort of thing a weak man like you would do. I suppose you loved Flora in a way."
"I did love her. I loved her very dearly. Had I not done so I would have severed myself from her when I married Julia. As it was----"
"You betrayed both women," finished Calvert. "Yes?"
Fane hung his head, for the scorn in Calvert's voice was hard to bear with patience.
"I knew Julia for some time, and knew she was rich. She took a fancy to me, and I saw that I would only have to ask her to be my wife, and she would consent. Then came the news that old Brand had married his housekeeper. I thought it was all up with the chance of getting the money, so I married Julia. As a commercial traveller (as Flora believed me to be) I could stop away for a long time. I induced her to take the Hampstead house, and did not appear in the matter. I acted----"
"Like a mean hound!" cried the American wrathfully. "In our country you'd have been tarred and feathered, and lynched on the top it."