I was out. Think how dreadful it must have
been for her!"

"How could _he_ help her?" asked Irene, in a strangely subdued tone,
still without raising her eyes.

"By seeing his brother, she thought, and getting him, perhaps, to
persuade my father--how I hate the name!--that there were no grounds
for such an action."

"What"--Irene forced each syllable from her lips--"what are the grounds
alleged?"

Olga began a reply, but the first word choked her. Her self-command
gave way, she sobbed, and turned to hide her face.

"You, too, are being tried beyond your strength," said Irene, whose
womanhood fortified itself in these moments of wretched doubt and
shame. "Come, we must have some lunch whilst aunt is asleep."

"I want to get it all over--to tell you as much as I know," said the
other. "Mother says there is not even an appearance of wrong-doing
against her--that she can only be accused by deliberate falsehood. She
hasn't told me more than that--and how can I ask? Of course _he_ is
capable of everything--of any wickedness!"

"You mean Daniel Otway?"

"No--her husband--I will never again call him by the other name."

"Do you know whether Piers Otway has seen his brother?"

"He hadn't up to yesterday, when he sent mother a note, saying that the
man was away, and couldn't be heard of."

With an angry effort Olga recovered her self-possession. Apart from the
natural shame which afflicted her, she seemed to experience more of
indignation and impatience than any other feeling. Growing calmer, she
spoke almost with bitterness of her mother's folly.

"I told her once, quite plainly, that Daniel Otway wasn't the kind of
man she ought to be friendly with. She was offended: it was one of the
reasons why we couldn't go on living together. I believe, if the truth
were known, it was worry about him that caused her breakdown in health.
She's a weak, soft-natured woman, and he--I know very well what _he_
is. He and the other one--both Piers Otway's brothers--have always been
worthless creatures. She knew it well enough, and yet----! I suppose
their mother----"

She broke off in a tone of disgust. Irene, looking at her with more
attentiveness, waited for what she would next say.

"Of course you remember," Olga added, after a pause, "that they are
only half-brothers to Piers Otway?"

"Of course I do."

"_His_ mother must have been a very different woman. You have
heard----?"

They exchanged looks. Irene nodded, and ave