“Have you not seen how happy they have been lately? My sister loves him, and I thought that all these difficulties had vanished. Yesterday Mildred gloried in her husband’s love, and now he is in prison. I love my sister dearly, and I cannot see her life ruined.
“I believe that Mr. Gaunt is innocent,” she continued gravely, “but even then, this charge will cause a great scandal. Mildred is deeply hurt that he should have refused to do the little thing she asked, for it would seem as though he placed this wretched crusade above his wife’s love. Won’t you go to him?”
Her eyes were fixed steadily upon him and he was deeply moved.
“I shall be very grateful to you, Mr. Drake,” she said simply.
“I hate to refuse you, but I cannot do it. My conscience tells me that Mr. Gaunt is doing his duty.”
“And that is your last word?”
“It must be.”
“I am greatly disappointed, not only for my sister’s sake but for my own. I thought that you were my friend. I have respected you as much as any man I know, and now I can only think that you are acting in this strange way for some secret motive, of which you are ashamed. You pretend to be Mr. Gaunt’s friend, while all the time you are proving yourself to be his bitterest enemy. Under the circumstances, I would suggest that you leave this house,” she wound up scornfully.
Drake was distressed and knew not what to do. He could see that no word of his would make her think differently of him, and yet he would not go.
“Mr. Gaunt’s last words were that I should look after Lady Mildred,” he answered gravely.