Jethway's. She looked over it vacantly.
'It is not so much as it seems!' she pleaded. 'It seems wickedly
deceptive to look at now, but it had a much more natural origin
than you think. My sole wish was not to endanger our love. O
Harry! that was all my idea. It was not much harm.'
'Yes, yes; but independently of the poor miserable creature's
remarks, it seems to imply--something wrong.'
'What remarks?'
'Those she wrote me--now torn to pieces. Elfride, DID you run
away with a man you loved?--that was the damnable statement. Has
such an accusation life in it--really, truly, Elfride?'
'Yes,' she whispered.
Knight's countenance sank. 'To be married to him?' came huskily
from his lips.
'Yes. Oh, forgive me! I had never seen you, Harry.'
'To London?'
'Yes; but I----'
'Answer my questions; say nothing else, Elfride Did you ever
deliberately try to marry him in secret?'
'No; not deliberately.'
'But did you do it?'
A feeble red passed over her face.
'Yes,' she said.
'And after that--did you--write to him as your husband; and did he
address you as his wife?'
'Listen, listen! It was----'
'Do answer me; only answer me!'
'Then, yes, we did.' Her lips shook; but it was with some little
dignity that she continued: 'I would gladly have told you; for I
knew and know I had done wrong. But I dared not; I loved you too
well. Oh, so well! You have been everything in the world to me--
and you are now.
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