“You are right, Lady Mildred, but it was from a friendly feeling towards yourself. I have very pleasant recollections of our former friendship.”
“Our relations scarcely amounted to friendship,” she interrupted him.
“That is an unkind remark, but I forgive it. Still, my feelings towards you are those of a friend. Helas! they would have been different had I been a younger man.”
She flushed angrily, for compliments she detested, but she remained silent.
“I have called to see if it is not possible to prevent a state of affairs from arising that will be extremely distasteful to you.”
“You are very kind. But please explain.”
“You know that my interests are closely bound up with the Congo? The speeches that your husband is making are injuring my interests, and they must stop immediately. If they do not, I fear that Mr. Gaunt and incidentally yourself will suffer. I implore you to use all your influence with him, Lady Mildred,” he said earnestly.
“In what way will my husband suffer?” she asked calmly, but there was an angry light in her eyes that he did not perceive.
“It is a delicate matter, and I hate even to hint at it; but it is for your sake, and I will only say that there are many things in your husband’s past that will not bear the light of day. For my part I should do my best to keep them secret, but unfortunately there are others.”
Again that expressive shrug of the shoulders.