“Yes,” he said bitterly; “she is our sister. I shall not forget that.”
“But what are you going to do, dear?”
“What am I going to do?” said Salis, bending down and kissing Mary; “send you to bed to rest and be ready to bear the troubles of another day.”
“But Leo?”
“I am going down to wait till she comes.”
“And then?”
“And then? Ah, what then? What can I do, Mary?” he said despairingly. “You know Leo as well as I do. To speak to her would be waste of breath. There is only one thing I can do.”
“Yes, dear,” said Mary piteously.
“Strive hard to preserve your dignity and honour, and mine, in the eyes of the world.”
“But that letter, Hartley!”