Are you to be in town long?"
"I shall be here until I have undone what you have done," cried
Isabel, rising also and shaking with rage. "The decencies of life
compel me to shield you still, and for that reason I shall stay in
this house. I am not obliged to ask this as a privilege; it is my
right."
"Then I shall have the pleasure of seeing you often."
Isabel went up to her room as usual and summoned her maid, and
ordered her carriage to be ready in half an hour.
Half an hour later she came down and drove to the Hardages'. She
showed no pleasure in seeing him again, and he no surprise in
seeing her.
"I have been expecting you," he said; "I thought you would be
brought back by all this."
"Then you have heard what they are saying about Rowan?"
"I suppose we have all heard," he replied, looking at her
sorrowfully.
"You have not believed these things?"
"I have denied them as far as I could. I should have denied that
anything had occurred; but you remember I could not do that after
what you told me. You said something had occurred."
"Yes, I know," she said. "But you now have my authority at least
to say that these things are not true. What I planned for the best
has been misused and turned against him and against me. Have you
seen him?"
"He has been in town, but I have not seen him."
"Then you must see him at once. Tell me one thing: have you heard
it said that I am responsible for the circulation of these stories?"
"Yes.
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