‘Adela, my darling! Don’t, don’t be angry with me!’
She sprang forward and tried to put her arms about her friend, but Adela gently repelled her.
‘If you have promised to say something, Letty, you must keep your promise. Will you say it at once, and then let us talk of something else?’
Letty checked a tear. Her trustful and loving friend seemed changed to someone she scarcely knew. She too grew colder, and began her story in a lifeless way, as if it no longer possessed any interest.
‘Just when I had had tea and was expecting Alfred to come, somebody rang the bell. I went to the door myself, and it was Mr. Eldon. He had come to speak to me of you. He said he wanted to see you, that he must see you, and begged me to tell you that. That’s all, Adela. I couldn’t refuse him; I felt I had no right to; he spoke in such a way. But I am very sorry to have so displeased you, dear. I didn’t think you would take anything amiss that I did in all sincerity. I am sure there has been some wretched mistake, something worse than a mistake, depend upon it. But I won’t say any more. And I think I’ll go now, Adela.’
Adela spoke in a tone of measured gravity which was quite new in her.
‘You have not displeased me, Letty. I don’t think you have been to blame in any way; I am sure you had no choice but to do as he asked you. You have repeated all he said?’
‘Yes, all; all the words, that is. There was something that I can’t repeat.’
‘And if I consented to see him, how was he to know?’
‘I promised to write to him. He is staying at Agworth.’