Part 57 (2/2)
”And just then Laffie Ashton came back with the wine. I believe he did it a-purpose--that he _wanted_ to get Mr. Blake intoxicated!”
”The unmitigated cad! Yet why should he? It seems impossible that any man--”
”How should I know? He's vicious enough to do _anything_. But what does that matter? It's Mr. Blake. Can't you see why he took it? He was getting himself out of the way. I didn't understand then what he said--about the bad place being nearer than Alaska--but now I do. What he was determined to do was to get himself out of Vievie's way for good. The quickest that he could do it was to start drinking--go on a spree.”
”Gad!”
”And now you stand here like a dummy, when there's a way to save him.”
”Yes, yes! I'll go after him!” He started alertly toward the door.
She sprang before him, ”No! What good would that do? You know he's set on saving Vievie. He'll not listen to you.”
”Gad! That's true. He's hard enough to handle, at best. With this added--Yet I cannot but make the effort. I'll phone Mr. Griffith.”
”Griffith? What's the use of wasting time? There's just one person who can save him, and you know it.”
”No, unless Griffith--”
”Are you absolutely stupid? Can't you see? It's Vievie alone who--”
”Genevieve!”
”Now's the time for her to do something. She must prove her love. That alone can stop him.”
”If she does love him.”
”Can you doubt it?”
”She has doubted it.”
”She may think she does. But it's all due to mamma's knocking and suggesting. Vievie loves him as much as he loves her. Needn't tell me!
I know all about it. She made him fail--the time you took him up to Michamac. This time it's all mamma's fault. Vievie has got to save him!”
”Most a.s.suredly it is hopeless unless she--”
”That's no reason for you to stand here gawking! You've got to go and tell her. She wouldn't listen to me; but you're a man and his friend.
You can make her see the injustice of it all. She's to blame as much as mamma. This never would have happened if it hadn't been for her s.h.i.+llyshallying.”
Lord James paused before replying, his clear gray eyes dark with doubt and indecision.
”My word!” he murmured. ”Could I but feel certain--This second failure, in so short a time! There is _her_ future to be considered, as well.”
”Her future as Countess of Avondale!” scoffed the girl.
”No, I a.s.sure you, no!” he insisted. ”Can you believe I could be so low?--and at such a time as this! It was of the consequences to her as well as to him--He has failed again. Can he ever win out, even should he have her aid?”
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