“Molly, I want to tell you something I have never told you before. I am English. I only took the name McEachern because they thought it would help me in the Force. Our real name is Forrest.”
“Father! But why haven’t you ever told me before?”
“I was afraid you might ask questions and find out things.”
She looked quickly at him.
“I was sent to America,” he went on, “because I was expelled from school for stealing.”
There was a silence. She caught the arm that was round her waist and gave it a little squeeze.
“What does it matter what you did when you were only a boy?” she said.
He did not look at her. There was a dull flush on his cheeks.
“We’ll go home, Molly,” he said. “I had a place in society over there till I threw it away, and, by Heaven, I’m going to get it back for you. You shall have a fair show, whatever I may have done. We shall not take the old name again. None of the return of the black sheep for me! I won’t have people looking down on you because your father——”
“But, father dear, it was so long ago. What does it matter? Who would remember?”