"It's all over," he said at last; "we decided it last night."
"What's over, dear old boy?"
"I broke our compact--I couldn't help it--and we saw it couldn't go on."
"You--asked her again?"
He nodded. "It's no good. And now it only worries her that I should hang
about. We can't--even be friends. It's all my fault."
"You poor darling!" cried his mother indignantly. "She has played with
you abominably."
He flushed with anger.
"You mustn't say that--you mustn't think it, mother! All these weeks have
been--to the good. They haven't been the real thing. But I shall always
have them--to remember. Now it's done with."
Silence fell upon them again, while their minds went back over the
history of the preceding six months. Victoria felt very bitter. And so,
apparently, in his own way, did he. For he presently said, with a
vehemence which startled her:
"I'd sooner be shot than see her marry that fellow!"
"Ah! you suspect that?"
"It looks like it," he said reluctantly. "And unless I'm much mistaken,
he's a mean cad! But--for her sake--we'll make sure--we'll give him every
chance."
"It is of course possible," said Victoria grudgingly, "that he has
honestly tried to do something for the Melroses."
"I daresay!" said Tatham, with a shrug.
"And it is possible also that if he is the heir, he means to make it up
to Felicia, when he comes into it all."
Tatham laughed.
"To throw her a spare bone? Very likely. But how are we to know that
Melrose won't bind him by all sorts of restrictions? A vindictive
old villain like that will do anything.
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