"It is so hard to be near you and yet, owing to your marriage, so far
from you," muttered the man savagely.

"If it is hard for you, think how hard it must be for me," said the
woman vehemently, her passion coming to the surface. "People talk of the
way in which you avoid me, and hint that we love one another still."

"It is true! Agnes, you know it is true!"

"Need the whole world know that it is true?" cried Agnes, rising, with
a gust of anger passing over her face. "If you would only come to The
Manor, and meet me in London, and accept Hubert's invitations to dinner,
people would think that our attachment was only a boy and girl
engagement, that we had outgrown. They would even give me credit for
loving Hubert--"

"But you don't?" cried Lambert with a jealous pang.

"Yes, I do. He is my chosen husband, and has carried out his part of the
bargain by freeing many of Garvington's estates. Surely the man ought to
have something for his money. I don't love him as a wife should love her
husband, not with heart-whole devotion, that is. But I give him loyalty,
and I respect him, and I try to make him happy in every way. I do my
part, Noel, as you do yours. Since I have been compelled to sacrifice
love for money, at least let us be true to the sacrifice."

"You didn't sacrifice yourself wholly for money."

"No, I did not. It was because of Garvington's crime. But no one knows