"You absolutely do not
know?"
"I never know exactly," Lady Anstruthers answered. "He was here for a
few days the week before you came. He said he was going abroad. He might
appear to-morrow, I might not hear of him for six months. I can't help
hoping now that it will be the six months."
"Why particularly now?" inquired Betty.
Lady Anstruthers flushed and looked shy and awkward.
"Because of--you. I don't know what he would say. I don't know what he
would do."
"To me?" said Betty.
"It would be sure to be something unreasonable and wicked," said Lady
Anstruthers. "It would, Betty."
"I wonder what it would be?" Betty said musingly.
"He has told lies for years to keep you all from me. If he came now, he
would know that he had been found out. He would say that I had told you
things. He would be furious because you have seen what there is to see.
He would know that you could not help but realise that the money he made
me ask for had not been spent on the estate. He,--Betty, he would try to
force you to go away."
"I wonder what he would do?" Betty said again musingly. She felt
interested, not afraid.
"It would be something cunning," Rosy protested. "It would be something
no one could expect.
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