"You have something to say to me, Mr. Jagenal?" Her face was set hard, but her eyes were wistful. He saw that she was afraid. When a woman is afraid, you may make her do pretty well what you please.
"I have a good deal to tell you, Mrs. Cassilis; and I am sorry to say it is of an unpleasant nature.
"I have heard," he went on, "from Mr. Colquhoun that you made a remarkable statement in the presence of Miss Fleming, and in the hearing of Mr. Cassilis."
"Lawrence informed you correctly, I have no doubt," she replied coldly.
"That statement of course was untrue," said Joseph, knowing that no record ever was more true. "And therefore I venture to advise——"
"On the part of Lawrence?"
"In the name of Mr. Colquhoun, partly; partly in your own interest——"
"Go on, if you please, Mr. Jagenal."
"Believing that statement to be untrue," he repeated, "for otherwise I could not give this advice, I recommend to all parties concerned—silence. Your husband's paralysis is attributed to the shock of his bankruptcy——"
"His what?" cried Victoria, who had heard as yet nothing of the City disaster.