The excellence of the mare having been agreed upon, she felt herself faltering upon the edge of another abyss of silence. But with only an instant’s hesitation, in which he bent the gaze of his odd little eyes upon her sharply, he said:
“I have no wish, Mrs. Craighill, to meddle in your private affairs, but it is possible that I may be in a position to serve you.”
She clasped her hands tightly on her knees; her heart beat fast.
“I am sure you mean to be kind,” she said, unresponsively. His little eyes, as she met them timorously, regarded her with something akin to pity. The lines of his mask-like face seemed softened as by some stirring of grace within. At his next words the blood poured into her heart as though to burst it.
“Please believe me, Mrs. Craighill, that I speak to you with the greatest respect, and with the best intentions. You are in distress. You have had a message to-day that annoyed you very much. It is not important just how I came to know it; the important thing is to save you from any trouble.”
“I don’t understand—I don’t know what you mean,” she faltered.
“Your mother is threatening you; she has had an unpleasant encounter with your husband, and proposes now to come here and make a scene. Please do not be troubled, madam. If it were not in my power to help you, you may be sure I should spare you the shock of hearing this from me.”
“How do you know—what can you do?” came from her in whispers. Her face was white; her tightly clasped hands were eloquent of great inner stress.
“Please do not be troubled. I want your mind to be at rest. Your mother may come to this town, but you will not know it; you need not see her. If she comes she will go again very quickly. She will not”—and he glanced about the room—“she will not honour this house with her presence.”
He rose clumsily, and turned to leave. His manner, his voice, had reassured her. She called to him softly as he moved toward the door, and he paused and faced her. She walked slowly toward him, scarcely knowing what she did, and put out her hand. Her lips quivered; tears shone in her eyes.