Of course, it
increased the perplexities and my horror, had that been needed; but the
hope or fear, or what you like to call it, was not borne out. Three years
later, the doctor came to me for the third and final time, to bring me
the news that Agnes was dead."
As the relief had been to him then, so did it almost seem now to Anne. A
sigh of infinite pain broke from her. She had not seen where all this was
tending.
"Imagine, if you can, what it was for me all those years with the
knowledge daily and nightly upon me that the disgraceful truth might at
any moment come out to Maude--to her children, to the world! Living in
the dread of arrest myself, should the man Gordon show himself on the
scene! And now you see what it is that has marred my peace, and broken
the happiness of our married life. How could I bear to cross those two
deeply-injured children, who were ever rising up in judgment against me?
How take our children's part against them, little unconscious things? It
seemed that I had always, daily, hourly, some wrong to make up to them.
The poor boy was heir to Hartledon in the eyes of the world; but, Anne,
your boy was the true heir."
"Why did you not tell me?--all this time!"
"I could not. I dared not. You might not have liked to put Reginald out
of his rights."
"Oh, Percival; how can you so misjudge me?" she asked, in tones of pain.
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