‘No, no!’ cried Quita, clinging to her mother’s neck, and sobbing. ‘Take me home, mamma! I am longing to get away, and to be with you.’
‘That does not sound very grateful in you, my dear,’ said her father, ‘considering all that you owe to Dr Fellows, and Lizzie.’
‘Don’t mention it!’ cried the Doctor quickly. ‘She is weak, and nervous, and hardly knows what she is saying, and the worst thing in the world for her is this agitation. She will be much better under her mother’s care. Take her home at once, Mr Courtney, and let this exciting scene be ended.’
He threw a mantle over Maraquita’s shoulders as he spoke, and placed her in the palanquin, which was in the verandah. The bearers raised their burden to their shoulders and set off at a walking pace, the rest of the party keeping by their side.
They had all been so occupied with the removal of Maraquita, that they had hardly noticed Lizzie, who stood at the open window watching their departure. So this was the end of it! The last week had passed like an unholy dream to her,—a dream of which she had had no time to read the import until now. Should she ever unravel it? Would the tangled meshes which it seemed to have woven round her, fall off again to leave her free? She did not see the way to burst her bonds, but she resolved that she must know the worst concerning herself and Henri de Courcelles at once. She felt that it would be impossible for her to live on, and do her duty as it should be done, whilst any moment might bring an exposure to sever her from her lover. She was still pondering on her troubles when Dr Fellows slowly re-entered the bungalow.
‘How did she bear the journey?’ asked Liz, as she caught sight of her father. ‘She seemed to me too weak to attempt it.’
‘So she would have been under ordinary circumstances, but of two evils we must choose the least. The poor child’s life here was one of torture, from the fear of detection. She will feel safer at the White House, and her recovery will be more rapid in consequence.’
‘And meanwhile, she doesn’t care one jot if her infant lives or dies,’ said Liz contemptuously.
Dr Fellows regarded her with mild surprise.
‘You are very hard on her, my daughter. Cannot you make some allowance for the terrible position in which she is placed?’