I'm
obliged to stay here. My brother has done it on purpose. Julius helps me
when I'm hard up--and bullies me afterward. He has sent me here, on
duty for the family. Somebody must be civil to Lady Lundie--and I'm the
sacrifice."
She took him up at his last word. "Don't make the sacrifice," she said.
"Apologize to Lady Lundie, and say you are obliged to go back."
"Why?"
"Because we must both leave this place to-day."
There was a double objection to that. If he left Lady Lundie's, he would
fail to establish a future pecuniary claim on his brother's indulgence.
And if he left with Anne, the eyes of the world would see them, and the
whispers of the world might come to his father's ears.
"If we go away together," he said, "good-by to my prospects, and yours
too."
"I don't mean that we shall leave together," she explained. "We will
leave separately--and I will go first."
"There will be a hue and cry after you, when you are missed."
"There will be a dance when the croquet is over. I don't dance--and I
shall not be missed. There will be time, and opportunity to get to
my own room. I shall leave a letter there for Lady Lundie, and a
letter"--her voice trembled for a moment--"and a letter for Blanche.
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