‘But you must not look upon it so seriously, Philip,’ she said with a mingling of earnestness and playfulness. ‘Come now; let us talk about what is of most importance to us both. Tell me how it is your affairs have come to such a crisis so soon, and how you mean to proceed.’
‘I shall do so; but first I must ask you how long Beecham has known Mr Shield?’
‘A long time,’ she replied, averting her eyes.
‘And has the secret he confided to you anything to do with me or my business?’
She would have liked to answer at once, and she was obliged to hesitate. She saw that he was vexed, and her natural impulse was to remove every source of vexation between them by telling him all she knew. The impulse was restrained on his account.
‘It has to do with you; but I wish you would not press me on the subject—at least not for a little while.’
‘So be it. I have always respected your wishes,’ he rejoined coldly, and there was even a distant note of bitterness in the tone. ‘I can now easily give you the information you require about myself. Should my uncle decline to assist me, I shall to-morrow resign everything I possess to my creditors, and seek some employment by which I may be able in course of time to make up to them whatever deficit there may be in my accounts.’
‘But Mr Shield will assist you—he will not allow you to give up everything!’
‘As you will not permit me to know the grounds of your confidence in the continuance of his generosity, and as I have bitter reason to know that he would be justified in refusing to give further help to a fool who has in such a short time made away with the capital he placed at my disposal, I cannot share your expectations or hope.’
‘I am sure he will carry you safely over this difficulty.’