"That's good. That's frank of you, Mary." She put the shepherdess on the table and took the elder woman's hand tenderly between hers. "What did you decide?"
"There wasn't anything to decide where we're concerned. You can do what you like, Sigrid. Archie and I are far too much in love with you——"
Sigrid laughed.
"Don't get me into worse trouble by making out that I'm a husband-snatcher. So you're going to stick to me. And the others——?"
"I don't know, dear."
"And you—you're both awfully shocked and horrified."
Mrs. Compton's mouth tightened with the struggle. She did not flinch under the steady, penetrating eyes.
"We don't understand—that's all."
"You loyal soul!" She was thoughtfully silent for an instant, and then went on: "But you must understand—at least a little. It's only fair, since you're going to fight my battle. If you'd decided differently, I shouldn't have told you. I'm an adventuress, Mary—I've never pretended to be anything else—not in a bad sense. I've lived very straightly in some ways, but I've always staked my all on a day. I've lived fabulously—like a Roman empress, Mary. And one day there was nothing left to stake. In ordinary language, I was bankrupt—or near it. So I took what was left and set out round the world—husband-hunting——"
"Sigrid!"