And yet he must have done so, else how could Mrs. Richards have known anything about the matter?
Yes, without doubt, he had feared that she would openly denounce him before the family where he had so unexpectedly found her, and so had given this version of the great wrong that he had done her in order to shield himself.
His own prospects of winning the rich heiress must not be interfered with, so he adopted this coup d’etat of going to Mrs. Richards and, with apparent frankness, confessing that his trifling attention to a silly girl had resulted in leading her to believe she had won a wealthy and titled husband.
This was just what Mrs. Richards had wished to make Star believe, and she succeeded only too well, for the young girl was well-nigh crushed to the earth with a sense of shame, and humiliation, and wounded love.
And yet, even while she felt that Archibald Sherbrooke—she could not think of him in any other character—had been guilty of a most cowardly and treacherous act, had steeped his soul in sin by winning her heart to break it, and thus ruining her whole life, she loved him still.
CHAPTER XX.
STAR’S DETERMINATION.
“Star, my dear child, what does this mean?” Mr. Rosevelt ejaculated, in a tone of wonder, as his niece concluded.
“It is unnecessary to ask her whether I have spoken the truth or not; her very looks and manner betray that she is guilty of what I have told you,” Mrs. Richards said, scornfully. “I did not suppose, however, with her innocent face and apparently quiet, modest manner, that she could be quite so shameless. But it is always so; such cat-like natures always work in the dark.”
Star’s proud little head came up with a haughty air at this taunting speech, while her blue eyes grew dark and ominous.
“You are accusing me ignorantly and most unjustly,” she said, in a hard tone, but with pained and quivering lips.