“Yes, and that is why I have decided to go.”
“Exactly; but you do not fully grasp my meaning. What about your uncle?”
“You mean that he will object?”
“Exactly.”
“But if I am firm, and insist, he will not dare to detain me,” said the girl warmly.
“You think so? Well, think again, my child. He is your guardian and trustee; he will absolutely refuse, and will take any steps which he considers right to prevent your leaving. I am afraid that by the power your poor father left in his hands he will consider himself justified in keeping you quite as a prisoner until you obey his wishes.”
“Mr Garstang, surely he dare not proceed to such extremities!”
“I am afraid that he has the power, and I grieve to say he is in such a position that he is likely to be reckless in his desire to gain his ends.”
Kate drew a deep breath, and gazed appealingly in the speaker’s face.
“As a solicitor and the husband of your aunt’s late sister, James Wilton naturally came to me for help in his money affairs, and I did the best I could for him. I found that he had been gambling foolishly on the Stock Exchange, instead of keeping to his farms, and was so involved that immediate payments had to be made to save him from absolute ruin.”