But there her
pride stepped in and closed her lips; and the intolerable thought that
she would value her husband's confidence more than he would value hers,
that she felt drawn to him despite every sinister attribute, would bring
humiliation and self-loathing in its train. It was the truth, however,
or, at all events, part of the truth.
Yet a more unfair arrangement Rachel had been unable to conceive, ever
since the fatally reckless moment in which she had acquiesced in this
one. The worst that could be known about her was known to her husband
before her marriage; she had nothing else to hide; all concealment of
the past, as between themselves, was upon his side. But matters were
coming to a crisis in this respect; and, when Rachel deemed it done
with, this incident of the tramp was only just begun.
It seemed that the servants knew of it, and that it was not Steel who
had originally discovered the sleeping intruder, but an under-gardener,
who, seeing his master also up and about, had prudently inquired what
was to be done with the man before meddling with him.
"And the master said, 'leave him to me,'" declared Rachel's maid, who
was her informant on the point, as she combed out her mistress's
beautiful brown hair, before the late breakfast which did away with
luncheon when there were no visitors at Normanthorpe.
Pages:
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164