"Then I cared for her no more, that was dead on the instant;" he spoke vehemently, "From then onwards the whole thing was ugly, sordid. I think we behaved all of us in a miserable fashion, I, and she and Rose."
"What other than you did could you have done?" she asked, faintly surprised that he should refer to this with so much passion.
But Marius continued unheeding.
"We turned on her that night—well, we have been living on her money ever since, Rose is again on the verge of ruin, and what has her life been? He has behaved to her as to his servant."
Susannah straightened herself.
"I fear I can look at none of it from the Countess's point of view."
"She is indifferent to me," he struck in quickly. "But I have her on my conscience."
He moved forward suddenly and stood behind the settee.
"She was so different once—what have we made of her? I have no right to scorn her as I did, and now it seems that she appeals to me. Susannah, tell me what I ought to do."