Jack’s face grew dark with rage; she saw his features twitching.
“What good would it do?”
“An investigation would be made, and justice would be done.”
He knew what she meant. She was trembling as she spoke, but she was determined that he should know that upon his good behaviour depended his own safety. If he would keep away from the house, and refrain from communicating with Lady Sarah, she would keep silence. If he failed to do so, then she would denounce him, and he would have to stand his trial.
He understood the position perfectly; she saw this, and that there was no need to “rub it in.” For a few moments he stood quietly considering the matter, and then he seemed to pull himself together, and suddenly bent forward to speak in a low voice:
“You think you are acting for the best, I’ve no doubt,” said he. “But you are forging a chain which will hold Sir Robert as well as his wife prisoner for the rest of his life.”
“No, no,” said Rhoda.
She had got away. But he followed her.
“And look here,” said he, as he bent down with a sudden burst of passion. “You are acting, not from good motives, but from bad ones. You want to boss the show at the Mill-house. But you won’t. You have done the worst thing you could for everybody, and you mustn’t expect to escape punishment. If you betray me—us, you’ll repent it.”
“Very well,” said Rhoda. “That’s my affair.”