"I saw your eldest boy yesterday, at Marling"s," continued the industrious Mr. Vyner. "He is getting on pretty well; Marling tells me he is steady and quiet. I should think that he might be a great comfort to you in your old age."
In spite of the utmost efforts to prevent it, Miss Hartley began to laugh. Mr. Vyner regarded her in pained astonishment.
"I didn"t intend to be humorous," he said, with some severity. "I am fond of children, and, unfortunately, I-I am childless."
He buried his face in his handkerchief, and, removing it after a decent interval, found that his indignant hostess was preparing to quit the room.
"Don"t go," he said, hastily. "I haven"t finished yet."
"I haven"t got time to stay and talk nonsense," said Joan.
"I"m not going to," said Robert, "but I want to speak to you. I have a confession to make."
"Confession?"
Mr. Vyner nodded with sad acquiescence. "I deceived you grossly the other day," he said, "and it has been worrying me ever since."
"It doesn"t matter," said Joan, with a lively suspicion of his meaning.
"Pardon me," said Mr. Vyner, with solemn politeness, "if I say that it does. I-I lied to you, and I have been miserable ever since."
Joan waited in indignant silence.
"I told you that I was married," said Mr. Vyner, in thrilling tones. "I am not."
Miss Hartley, who had seated herself, rose suddenly with a fair show of temper. "You said you were not going to talk nonsense!" she exclaimed.
"I am not," said the other, in surprise. "I am owning to a fault, making a clean breast of my sins, not without a faint hope that I am setting an example that will be beautifully and bountifully followed."
"I have really got too much to do to stay here listening to nonsense,"
said Miss Hartley, vigorously.
"I am a proud man," resumed Mr. Vyner, "and what it has cost me to make this confession tongue cannot tell; but it is made, and I now, in perfect confidence-almost perfect confidence-await yours."
"I don"t understand you," said Joan, pausing, with her hand on the door.
"Having repudiated my dear wife," said Mr. Vyner, sternly, "I now ask, nay, demand, that you repudiate Captain Trimblett-and all his works," he added, as ear-splitting screams sounded from outside.
"I wish--" began Joan, in a low voice.
"Yes?" said Robert, tenderly.
"That you would go."
Mr. Vyner started, and half rose to his feet. Then he thought better of it.
"I thought at first that you meant it," he said, with a slight laugh.
"I do mean it," said Joan, breathing quickly.
Robert rose at once. "I am very sorry," he said, with grave concern. "I did not think that you were taking my foolishness seriously."
"I ought to be amused, I know," said Joan, bitterly. "I ought to be humbly grateful to your father for having those children sent here. I ought to be flattered to think that he should remember my existence and make plans for my future."
"He-he believes that you are married to Captain Trimblett," said Robert.
"Fortunately for us," said Joan, dryly.
"Do you mean," said Robert, regarding her fixedly, "that my father arranged that marriage?"
Joan bit her lip. "No," she said at last.
"He had something to do with it," persisted Robert. "What was it?"
Joan shook her head.
"Well, I"ll ask him about it," said Mr. Vyner.
"Please don"t," said the girl. "It is my business."
"You have said so much," said Robert, "that you had better say more.
That"s what comes of losing your temper. Sit down and tell me all about it, please."
Joan shook her head again.
"You are not angry with me?" said Mr. Vyner.
"No."
"That"s all right, then," said Robert, cheerfully. "That encourages me to go to still further lengths. You"ve got to tell me all about it. I forgot to tell you, but I"m a real partner in the firm now. I"ve got a hard and fast share in the profits-had it last Wednesday; since when I have already grown two inches. In exchange for this confidence I await yours. You must speak a little louder if you want me to hear."
"I didn"t say anything," said the girl.
"You are wasting time, then," said Robert, shaking his head. "And that eldest girl of yours may come in at any moment."
Despite her utmost efforts Miss Hartley failed to repress a smile; greatly encouraged, Mr. Vyner placed a chair for her and took one by her side.
"Tell me everything, and I shall know where we are," he said, in a low voice.
"I would rather-" began Miss Hartley.
"Yes, I know," interrupted Mr. Vyner, with great gravity; "but we were not put into this world to please ourselves. Try again."
Miss Hartley endeavoured to turn the conversation, but in vain. In less than ten minutes, with a little skilful prompting, she had told him all.
"I didn"t think that it was quite so bad as that," said Robert, going very red. "I am very sorry-very. I can"t think what my father was about, and I suppose, in the first place, that it was my fault."
"Yours?" exclaimed Joan.