Iris heaved a profound sigh.
"Then he is safe?" she said.
"You think of him first," said Hugh, jealously. "Yes: he is safe; and,
I do hope, gone away, out of the country, never to come back any more.
The more important thing is that you should be safe from him. As for
the doctor--but I cannot speak of the doctor with common patience. Let
him be left to the end which always awaits such men. It is to be hoped
that he will never, wherever he goes, feel himself in safety."
"I am safe," said Iris, "not only from my husband, but from what else
beside? You know what I mean. You mean that I, as well as my husband,
am safe from that. Oh! the fear of it has never left me--never for one
moment. You tell me that I am safe from public disgrace, and I
rejoice--when I ought to sink into the earth with shame!" She covered
her face with her hands.
"Iris, we know what you have done. We also know why you did it. What
need we say more? The thing is finished and done with. Let us never
again allude to it. The question now is--what will you do next? Where
will you live?"
"I do not know. I have got Fanny Mere with me. Mrs. Vimpany is also
anxious to live with me. I am rich, indeed, since I have two faithful
dependants and one friend."
"In such wealth, Iris, you will always be rich. Now listen seriously. I
have a villa in the country. It is far away from London, in the
Scottish Lowlands--quite out of the way--remote even from tourists and
travellers. It is a very lonely place, but there is a pretty house,
with a great garden behind and a stretch of sand and seashore in front.
There one may live completely isolated. I offer you that villa for your
residence. Take it; live in it as long as you please."
"No, no. I must not accept such a gift."
"You must, Iris--you shall. I ask it of you as a proof of friendship,
and nothing more. Only, I fear that you will get tired of the
loneliness."
"No--no," she said. "I cannot get tired of loneliness it is all I
want."
"There is no society at all."
"Society? Society for me?"
"I go to the neighbourhood sometimes for fishing. You will let me call
upon you?"
"Who else has such a right?"