“ ‘Why, you’ve been crying, dear,’ she said. ‘What’s the matter?’
“True to his purpose, he started some fantastic story about sorrow at having been found out, but she cut him short.
“ ‘Don’t lie, Jack—not now,’ she whispered. ‘I know it wasn’t you who opened the safe. I know it was Tom. But what I want to know is why you said you did it.’
“It was then I made up my mind.
“ ‘I’m going to tell her, Digby, whether you like it or not,’ and she looked at me quickly. He didn’t say anything; things had got beyond him. And very briefly I told her the truth about his heart.
“She listened to me in absolute silence, and when I’d finished she just turned round to him and held out both her arms.
“ ‘Thank God! I know, my darling,’ she whispered. ‘I thought it was because you’d got fond of another woman. I thought—oh! Heaven knows what I thought! But now—oh! you stupid, wonderful boy!’
“I went to the window and looked out! It must have been five minutes later that I found the girl at my side.
“ ‘Is it absolutely hopeless?’ she asked.
“ ‘Humanly speaking,’ I answered, ‘yes.’