“But why in the world has he said nothing about it? What a set of ungrateful brutes he must think us! Oh, I say, this is the rankest thing I ever heard!” cried Maurice, tramping about the verandah in his perturbation.
“Why, you see, the money didn’t actually ransom you. The brigands bagged it all right, but Scythia had been beforehand with us, and we might as well have chucked it into the sea. I only found out Wylie’s feeling about it just now. He forbade me to say a word to you—said his pay gave him enough for his wants, and his place would do as well with a mortgage on it as without—but I thought you ought to know.”
“I’m jolly glad you did!” cried Maurice. “I feel a perfect hound. After all Wylie has done for us—and everything——”
Zoe had risen suddenly and gone down the steps, her face resolutely turned from the rest, her hands clenched until the nails made deep marks in the palms. A rush of overwhelming shame, unavailing regret, had swept over her. Stiffly she walked along the garden paths, guiding herself instinctively, her head held rigidly, her eyes seeing nothing. Presently, in the shelter of a clump of bushes, out of sight of the verandah, Eirene caught her up.
“Oh, Zoe, don’t look so dreadful!” she entreated. “He must know you didn’t know.”
“‘There are strange punishments for such,’” came harshly from Zoe’s lips. “It’s only what I deserve.”
“But,” suggested Eirene timidly, “Maurice will pay him back. He won’t really suffer.”
“It’s not that. It is that he could do it, and say nothing, even when—— Oh, Eirene, you don’t understand, you can’t understand. Be thankful you can’t. You didn’t shut your heart against love; you took it and were thankful. I chose to live my own life, and I have got it.”
“But if he really cares——” ventured Eirene, with increasing nervousness. “Oh, Zoe, I don’t like to say it, but if I could do anything——?” An angry flush rose to Zoe’s face, but faded quickly.
“No, you can’t. He knows me now as I am, you see, and it would be no use. You understand, Eirene, there is nothing to be done—nothing whatever. Swear that you won’t try anything.” Eirene promised hastily. “Just let me alone for a little. I should like to go out somewhere and howl, but that would attract attention. Leave me alone here and go back to the others. I shall be all right presently.”