Why should her husband be afraid of this man?--as it seemed he _was_
afraid, by Mr. Carr's letter. What power had he of injuring Lord
Hartledon?--what secret did he possess of his, that might be used against
him? Turning it about in her mind, and turning it again, searching her
imagination for a solution, Lady Hartledon at length arrived at one, in
default of others. She thought this man must know some untoward fact
by which the present Lord Hartledon's succession was imperilled. Possibly
the late Lord Hartledon had made some covert and degrading marriage;
leaving an obscure child who possessed legal rights, and might yet claim
them. A romantic, far-fetched idea, you will say; but she could think of
no other that was in the least feasible. And she remembered some faint
idea having arisen in her mind at the time, that the visit of the man
Gorton was in some way connected with trouble, though she did not know
with which brother.
Val came in and shut the door. He stirred the fire into a blaze, making
some remark about the snow, and wondering how Carr would get down to the
country again. Maude gave a slight answer, and then there was silence.
Each was considering how best to say something to the other. She was the
quicker.
"Lord Hartledon, what did that man want on Friday?"
"What man?" he rejoined, rather wincing--for he knew well enough to what
she alluded.
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