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"I made up my mind that I should want the key of the cellar when I came back, and I don't believe you have drunk a drop in my absence. What does it mean?" "It means that I am not worthy of your sherry," Mountjoy answered. "The Spanish wines are too strong for my weak digestion." Mr. Vimpany burst into one of his explosions of laughter. "You miss the landlady's vinegar eh?" "Yes, I do!
Vimpany still pronounced steadily against her. Prepared for discoveries, on the next day, which might prove too serious to be trifled with, he now did his best to provide for future emergencies.
Mountjoy had purchased the wine; and, after a little thinking, his motive for inviting Mr. Vimpany to dinner seemed to be equally plain. Foiled in their first attempt at discovery by her own prudence and tact, his suspicions had set their trap. What secrets might the helpless wretch not have betrayed before the wine had completely stupefied him? Urged by rage and fear, she shook him furiously.
But Iris Henley was Lady Harry now. She was sinking as Mrs. Vimpany had feared, as Mountjoy had foreseen lower and lower on the descent to her husband's level. With a false appearance of interest in what he was saying she waited for her chance of matching him with his own weapons of audacious deceit.
What has become of your kind feeling, your sense of justice, your consideration for others? Poor Mrs. Vimpany!" "What has Mrs. Vimpany to do with it?" Iris was indignant. "What has Mrs. Vimpany to do with it?" she repeated.
Hugh, this is the lady who has been so kind to me Mrs. Vimpany." Hugh's impulse, under the circumstances, was to dispense with the formality of a bow, and to shake hands. Mrs. Vimpany met this friendly advance with a suavity of action, not often seen in these days of movement without ceremony. She was a tall slim woman, of a certain age.
"After what you have just told me," she ventured to say, "I may own that I am glad to see you come home, alone." In that indirect manner, she confessed the hope that friendly intercourse between the two men had come to an end. His reply disappointed her. "Vimpany only remains in Paris," he said, "to present a letter of introduction. He will follow me home." "Soon?" she asked, piteously.
Lord Harry looked at him gravely, and made a nearer approach to an open confession of feeling than he had ventured on yet. "With regard now to my wife. When I went away this morning with Vimpany he's not such good company as he used to be; soured by misfortune, poor devil; I wish he would go back to London. When I come back, I find you left here alone, and I am told that Lady Harry is in her room.
If your influence fails, do you see any other chance of keeping Lord Harry's desperate purpose under control?" It had only that day occurred to Iris that there might be some prospect of an encouraging result, if she could obtain the assistance of Mrs. Vimpany.
All I do know is that she has been uneasy ever since she came from France, and what I believe is that she has been reproaching herself with leaving her husband without good cause." "Good cause!" echoed Fanny. "Oh! good gracious! If she only knew, there's cause enough to leave a hundred husbands." "Nothing seemed to rouse her," Mrs. Vimpany continued, without regarding the interruption.
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