"Married her again! why, that was making bad worse. Two false marriages!
Did you do it to impose upon her?"
"I see you do not understand," said Lord Hartledon. "The--my--the person
in Scotland was dead then. She was dead, I am thankful to say, before
Maude knew anything of the affair."
Up started the dowager. "Then is the woman dead now? was she dead when
you married _her_?" laying her hand upon Lady Hartledon's arm. "Are her
children different from Maude's?"
"They are. It could not be otherwise."
"Her boy is really Lord Elster?"
She flung Lady Hartledon's arm from her. Her voice rose to a shriek.
"Maude is not Lady Maude?"
Val shook his head sadly.
"And your children are lords and ladies and honourables," darting a look
of consternation at Anne, "whilst my daughter's--"
"Peace, Lady Kirton!" sternly interrupted Val. "Let the child, Maude, be
Lady Maude still to the world; let your daughter's memory be held sacred.
The facts need never come out: I do not fear now that they ever will. I
and my wife and Thomas Carr, will guard the secret safely: take you care
to do so."
"I wish you had been hung before you married Maude!" responded the
aggrieved dowager.
"I wish I had," said he.
"Ugh!" she grunted wrathfully, the ready assent not pleasing her.
"With my poor boy's death the chief difficulty has passed away. How
things would have turned out, or what would have been done, had he lived,
it has well-nigh worn away my brain to dwell upon.
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