Noel dropped his hand. “No. Twice I've done what you wanted, and it's been a mistake. If I hadn't gone to Church on Sunday to please you, perhaps it would never have come to this. You don't see things, Daddy. I could tell, though I was sitting right in front. I knew what their faces were like, and what they were thinking.”
“One must do right, Nollie, and not mind.”
“Yes; but what is right? It's not right for me to hurt you, and I'm not going to.”
Pierson understood all at once that it was useless to try and move her.
“What are you going to do, then?”
“I suppose I shall go to Kestrel to-morrow. Auntie will have me, I know; I shall talk to Leila.”
“Whatever you do, promise to let me know.”
Noel nodded.
“Daddy, you—look awfully, awfully tired. I'm going to give you some medicine.” She went to a little three-cornered cupboard, and bent down. Medicine! The medicine he wanted was not for the body; knowledge of what his duty was—that alone could heal him!
The loud popping of a cork roused him. “What are you doing, Nollie?”