“Yes. Perhaps before I say more you had better read this,” and quickly producing the anonymous letter from her bag, she handed it to him.
He read it through calmly, his face immobile. Then he read it again. After that he folded it and handed it back to her.
“An unfortunate incident,” he observed as he lit a cigarette. “Have you any idea who the writer is?”
“Not the slightest.”
“A woman, I should say, possibly in league with some man. You won’t pay, of course.”
“But then what am I to do? Think what will happen if I don’t pay, doctor!”
“Am I to conclude from that that the allegation is true? Did you write the letters, and were the others written to you?”
Cora colored violently, and looked down.
“Yes,” she said, almost in a whisper.
“That is a pity,” the doctor answered. “Still Mrs. Hartsilver, even the best of us make mistakes at times, and when a mistake has been made the only thing to do is to think of the best way of avoiding unpleasant consequences. I know perhaps better than you do how on occasions a woman’s heart can temporarily overrule her brain and better judgment, and for that reason I look leniently on what I call ‘heart influence.’ Did your husband know anything of this? You will, I am sure, in the circumstances forgive my asking.”