“Do you mean that you don’t know who your mother was? You don’t know who she married?” he asked, astounded.
“No.”
“Good God!” he said, gazing at her. His tense features were working now; the battle for self-control was visible to her, and she sat there dumbly, looking on at the mute conflict which suddenly sent the tears flashing into his dark eyes and left his sensitive mouth twitching.
“I shall not ask you anything now,” he said unsteadily; “I shall have to see you somewhere else—where there are no people—to interrupt.... But I shall tell you all I know about—your mother.... I was in trouble—in India. Somehow or other I heard indirectly that your mother had left Fane Court. Later it was understood that she had eloped.... Nobody could tell me the man’s name.... My people in Ireland did not know.... And I was not on good terms with your grandfather. So there was no hope of information from Fane Court.... I wrote, indeed, begging, beseeching for news of your mother. Sir Barry—your grandfather—returned my letters unopened.... And that is all I have ever heard concerning Eileen Fane—your mother—with whom I—fell in love—nearly twenty years ago.”
Dulcie, marble pale, nodded.
“I knew you cared for my mother,” she said.
“How did you learn it?”
“Some letters of hers written to you. Letters from you to her. I have nothing else of hers except some verses and little songs—like the one you recognised.”
“Child, she wrote it as I sat beside her!——” His 327 voice choked, broke, and his lips quivered as he fought for self-control again.... “I was not welcome at Fane Court.... Sir Barry would not tolerate me.... Your mother was more kind.... She was very young. And so was I, Dulcie.... There were political troubles. I was always involved. God knows which was the stronger passion—it must have been love of country—the other seeming hopeless—with the folk at Fane Court my bitter enemies—only excepting your mother.... So I went away.... And which of the Soanes your mother eloped with I have never learned.... Now, tell me—for you surely know that much.”
She said: