‘It’s all very fine talking,’ he answered roughly, ‘but facts are ugly things; and if there is any honourable explanation of them, I have a right to demand it. You have a newly-born infant in your arms, and all the plantation is talking of it. If you are not its mother, who is?’
Lizzie turned away from him proudly.
‘Go and find out for yourself,’ she said. ‘If you can suspect me even for one moment, you are unworthy of my affection. I will not lower myself to contradict your base suspicion. Think what you will, and act as you think best. I can tell you no more than I have done already.’
‘Then I am to believe Rosa’s story?’
‘You can believe what you choose. This child was given in trust to me by my father, and I am not at liberty to speak to you, or any one, concerning it. It is by an unhappy accident that it has even been seen. I cannot remedy that, but I can prevent the mischief going further. If you cannot accept my word that it bears no relationship to myself, I can do no more than deny it. On any other subject, my lips are sealed.’
Admiration for her sisterly devotion and fidelity had almost made him forget the part he had to play; but the thought of Maraquita came to his assistance, and nerved him to complete his cruel task.
‘Well, I will not court your confidence further, Lizzie,’ he said, rising, ‘but you must consider our engagement at an end. It would be impossible to be happy in married life with a secret like this between us. You may have told me the truth, but I am not convinced of it; and where there is distrust, there can be no love. Let us part now, and for ever.’
For the first time, the extent of the sacrifice she was making seemed to strike Lizzie’s mind.
‘No! no!’ she screamed, rushing after him; ‘I cannot part with you thus! Oh, Henri! think a moment! Think how I have loved you! Can you imagine it possible that I should have been so false to you—so false to myself? I swear to you on my knees, and before God, that this child is not mine. Will not that content you?’
‘No! nothing will content me now—not even if you attempted to cast the blame on some one else. You have spoken too late, Lizzie. Nothing but conscious guilt would have kept your lips closed until this moment.’