“Why do you ask?” he faltered, to gain time.
“Because the girl needs true and loving friends more at this moment than in all her life to come,” said she, earnestly.
“I will be her true friend in any event,” he returned.
“But I must know more than that,” persisted Mrs. Everingham. “Tell me frankly, Gerald, do you love her?”
“Yes.”
“Well enough to wish to make her your wife, in spite of her family’s shady history?”
“Yes,” he said again, looking at her inquiringly.
“Then I shall confide to you a great secret; for it is right that you should be apprised of what is going on; and only you—with my assistance, to be sure—can hope to defeat the cunning plot that threatens to separate Aneth from you forever.”
Thereupon she related to him the details of the interview she had overheard between Kāra and the girl, and told of the promise Aneth had made to save her grandfather from disgrace by marrying the Egyptian.
“But this is nonsense!” he exclaimed, angrily. “The man is a fool to wish to force any woman to marry him, and a scoundrel to use such means to accomplish his purpose.”