Arthur," she shivered, glancing fearfully
round, "I hope those accounts are right?"
The doubt thus given utterance to, blanched even the cheeks of Arthur.
"Sits up at the books!" he exclaimed.
"He sits up, that is certain; and at the books, as I conclude. He takes
them into his room at night. It may only be that he has not time, or
does not make time, to go over them in the day. It _may_ be so."
"I trust it is; I pray it may be. Mind you, Constance, our duty is
plain: we must screen him; screen him at any sacrifice to ourselves,
for the father and mother's sake."
"Sacrifice to you, you ought to say. What were our other light
troubles, compared with this? Arthur, will they publicly accuse you?"
"It may come to that; I have been steeling myself all the morning to
meet it."
He looked into her face as he said it. Constance could see how his brow
and heart were aching. At that moment they were called to dinner, and
Arthur turned to leave the room. Constance caught his hand, the tears
raining from her eyes.
"Arthur," she whispered, "in the very darkest trouble, God can comfort
us. Be assured He will comfort you."
Hamish did not make his appearance at dinner, and they sat down without
him. This was not so very unusual as to cause surprise; he was
occasionally detained at the office.
The meal was about half over, when Annabel, in her disregard of the
bounds of discipline, suddenly started from her seat and flew to the
window.
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