"The secret connected with the Red Court Farm," laconically answered Mr. Thornycroft.
There ensued a pause. Isaac put a straw in his lips and bit it like a man in pain. He had loved his mother with no common love; to hear that her place was to be occupied fell on him like a blow, putting aside other considerations against it.
"It is a great risk, sir."
"I don't see it, Isaac. But for an accident your mother would never have suspected. I then disclosed the truth to her, and I cursed myself for my folly afterwards. But for that she might have been with us now. As to risk, we run the same every day with Mary Anne. Ah me! your poor mother was too sensitive, and the fear killed her."
Isaac winced. He remembered how his mother had faded visibly, day by day; he could see, even now, the alarm in her soft eyes that the twilight often brought.
Mr. Thornycroft went away with the last words. Richard, who appeared to have been reconnoitring, came striding up to his brother, and let off a little of his superfluous anger, talking loud and fast.
"He is going out of his senses; you know it must be so, Isaac. Who is the woman? Did he tell you?"
"No," replied Isaac; "but I can give a pretty shrewd guess at her."
"Well?"
"Lady Ellis."