'Why are you so hard with me?' he exclaimed, with a wistful, longing, and miserable expression in his eyes.
She made no reply, so he spoke again.
'I have had a long consultation with our family agent in Edinburgh.'
'About what?'
'Your affairs and mine, Olive.'
'My affairs?'
'Yes, and I have obtained the opinion of ruby Logan's father, and of counsel of much higher—yes, of the highest—repute on the vexed subject of your father's will—vexed at least between you and I, Olive.'
She gazed at him with something of vacant surprise blended with inquiry in her face.
'What I am about to suggest may be dangerous, as I do not know the terms on which you permit yourself to be with this—Mr. Holcroft—but I have had excellent legal advice, and——'
'Legal advice—oh, indeed!' she interrupted, with a toss of her pretty head; 'that is well, for the laws as made by you men rank us women with children and lunatics. And what says this advice?'