She did not bid him be seated. Her brevity influenced him to speak to the point.
'You have dismissed Mr. Laxley, my lady: he is innocent.'
'How do you know that?'
'Because,'—a whirl of sensations beset the wretched youth, 'because I am guilty.'
His words had run ahead of his wits; and in answer to Lady Jocelyn's singular exclamation he could but simply repeat them.
Her head drew back; her face was slightly raised; she looked, as he had seen her sometimes look at the Countess, with a sort of speculative amazement.
'And why do you come to tell me?'
'For the reason that I cannot allow you to be unjust, madam.'
'What on earth was your motive?'
Evan stood silent, flinching from her frank eyes.