Her self-command
gave way, she sobbed, and turned to hide her face.
"You, too, are being tried beyond your strength," said Irene, whose
womanhood fortified itself in these moments of wretched doubt and
shame. "Come, we must have some lunch whilst aunt is asleep."
"I want to get it all over--to tell you as much as I know," said
the other. "Mother says there is not even an appearance of
wrong-doing against her--that she can only be accused by
deliberate falsehood. She hasn't told me more than that--and how
can I ask? Of course _he_ is capable of everything--of any
wickedness!"
"You mean Daniel Otway?"
"No--her husband--I will never again call him by the other
name."
"Do you know whether Piers Otway has seen his brother?"
"He hadn't up to yesterday, when he sent mother a note, saying that
the man was away, and couldn't be heard of."
With an angry effort Olga recovered her self-possession. Apart from
the natural shame which afflicted her, she seemed to experience more
of indignation and impatience than any other feeling. Growing
calmer, she spoke almost with bitterness of her mother's folly.
"I told her once, quite plainly, that Daniel Otway wasn't the kind
of man she ought to be friendly with. She was offended: it was one
of the reasons why we couldn't go on living together. I believe, if
the truth were known, it was worry about him that caused her
breakdown in health.
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