“Such a marriage will break mother’s heart,” sighed Maud.
“You know better than that, Maud! You know that only a disreputable marriage would seriously distress my mother, and there can be nothing disreputable in a marriage with a good and pure-minded girl. I promise you that I will not offer myself to Eve Marchant until I feel assured of her perfect truth. There is only one point upon which I have the shadow of a doubt. It seemed to me, from certain trifling indications, that there had been some kind of flirtation between her and Sefton.”
“I cannot quite make that out, Jack,” answered Maud, thoughtfully. “I have seen them together several times since you left. There is certainly something, on his side. He pursues her in a manner—contrives to place himself near her at every opportunity, and puts on a confidential air when he talks to her. I have watched them closely in her interest, for I really like her. I don’t think she encourages him. Indeed I believe she detests him; but she is not as stand-offish as she might be; and I have seen her occasionally talking very confidentially with him—as if they had a secret understanding.”
“That’s it,” cried Vansittart, inwardly raging. “There is a secret, and I must be possessed of that secret before I confess my love.”
“And how do you propose to pluck out the heart of the mystery?”
“In the simplest manner—by questioning Eve herself. If she is the woman I think her she will answer me truthfully. If she is false and shifty—why then—I whistle her down the wind, and you will never hear more of this fond dream of mine.”
“Well, Jack, you must go your own way. You were always my master, and I can’t pretend to master you now. You’ll have an opportunity of seeing Eve and Mr. Sefton to-morrow. He is coming to my afternoon. I hope you’ll be civil to him.”
“As civil as I can. I’ll break no bounds, Maud; but I believe the man to be a scoundrel. If he were pursuing Eve with any good motive he would have spoken out before now.”
“Precisely my view of the case. It is shameful to compromise her by motiveless attentions. There goes the gong. I am glad we have had this quiet talk. You will not act precipitately, will you, Jack?” concluded his sister, appealingly, as she moved towards the door.
“I will act as I have said, Maud, not otherwise.”