Leger," ran the last paragraph. "He
had some astounding news. And Mrs. Dawson has driven over to call, and
we are to dine with them next week. I wish you were home, Mary. I want
you to lean upon."
When I had read I turned amazed eyes on my godmother.
"The Dawsons!" I said. "And we used always to say that though every
other house in the county were opened to the Dawsons, Aghadoe Abbey
would shut its door in their faces."
"It shall shut its door," Mary Champion said indignantly. "He is
frightening them because they are old and have no son to lean upon.
Garret Dawson is an evil plotter and schemer, and there is blood and
tears on his money. Aghadoe shall be safe from him."
"How can he have frightened them?" I asked. "They have never borrowed
money from him."
The cloud deepened on my godmother's face.
"It must be something about Luke," she said. "But whatever it is, I will
swear it is not true. Luke never did anything that would put his old
father and mother in the power of Garret Dawson. He has frightened them
because I was not there to protect them. I shall tear through his web of
lies."
As she said it the light came to her eyes and the colour to her lips,
and I wondered that any one could ever have thought her plain.
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