“I hope you may be found to be right. But — ” He broke off, his brows contracting.
“Well?”
“It happened as you have described, of course, but — he raised his eyes to his cousin’s face, and said bluntly: “Gervase, be a little more careful, I beg of you! You might not have noticed it, but I saw, in his face, such an expression of fury — I had almost said, of hatred — !”
“Yes, I did notice it,” Gervase said quietly. “He would have been happy to have murdered me, would he not?”
“No, no, don’t think it! He is, as you have said, an unschooled colt, and he has been used to being so much petted and praised — But he would not murder you!”
“It was certainly his intention, my dear Theo!”
“Not his intention!” Theo said swiftly. “His impulse, at that instant!”
“The distinction is too nice for his victim to appreciate. Come, Theo! Be plain with me, I beg of you! You tried to put me on my guard, I fancy, that first evening, when you came to my bedchamber, and drank a glass of brandy with me there. Was it against Martin that you were warning me?” He waited for a moment. “I am answered, I suppose!”
“I don’t know. I dare not say so! Only be a little wary, Gervase! If some accident were to befall you — why, I dare swear he himself would admit to being glad of it! But that he would contrive to bring about such an accident I have never believed, until I saw his face just now! The suspicion did then flash into my mind — but it must be nonsensical!”
“Theo, I do think you should have rushed in, and thrown yourself between us!” Gervase complained.