He would marry her at a registry office, provide for her,
and leave her. And then he said he would do it _at once_--that he was
going to his lawyers to arrange everything as to money and so on--on
condition that she never troubled him again. He was eager to get it
done--that he might be delivered from her--from her company--which one
could see had become dreadful to him. I implored him not to do such a
thing--to pay any money rather than do it--but not to marry her! I
begged him to think of you--and his father. But he said he was bound to
her--he had compromised her, or some such thing; and he had given his
word in writing. There was only one thing which could stop it--if she
had told him lies about her former life. But he had no reason to think
she had; and he was not going to try and find out. So then--I saw a ray
of daylight--"
She stopped abruptly, looking full at the woman opposite, who was now
following her every word--but like one seized against her will.
"Do you remember a Miss Wigram, Lady Dunstable--whose father had a
living near Crosby Ledgers?"
Lady Dunstable moved involuntarily--her eyelids flickered a little.
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