"You forget that the twenty-sixth Sir Richard was dead, and that it
really did not matter one jot to the twenty-seventh whether he learnt
the news a few weeks earlier or later. But it mattered everything to
us, to Baron von Kerber and myself, I mean. We were determined that
this expedition should succeed, and we boggled at no means which
promised to achieve our end. We have been beaten, but not through any
fault of ours. We felt, not without good reason, that if Mr. Royson
were compelled to return home you would be converted from a passive
into an active enemy. So we adopted the leave-well-enough-alone policy,
and, as one woman speaking to another, I really don't see what you have
to grumble about. Blame us as much as you like, you still have the
delightful knowledge that the progress of your love affair was
unaffected by titles or wealth, and I have left to you the pleasant
duty of telling your fiance of his good fortune."
"I am afraid your reasoning is too plausible for my poor wits, Mrs.
Haxton," said the girl slowly.
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