"Now?"
"Nance, listen!" She took a swift step forward. "It was because of that loan that I couldn't slight him since we came back to town. You were right—you were quite right in all you advised; but I couldn't do it. He had lent me the money. He had seemed my best friend. I felt I couldn't do it—until yesterday.
"But yesterday, when he left, and Walter spoke of him, I knew there was no choice. It was my own happiness or his friendship. And I—I decided for my own happiness."
She stopped, and drew a quick, deep breath.
Nance clasped her hands, fearfully conscious that more was still to come.
"When I have a difficult thing to do," Clodagh went on, "I must do it quickly. I can't wait, I can't prepare and plan, I can't brood over things. After Walter left yesterday I decided that what must be done must be done at once. I made up my mind that I would see Lord Deerehurst to-night; that I would be quite candid with him, explain my position—and appeal to his generosity to let our friendship end."
"Then to-night——?"
"To-night was all a deception. I had no headache—I wasn't ill. I shammed it all, that I might be alone."
"And while we were at the theatre you sent for him——?"
"No! I went to Carlton House Terrace to see him."