I believe she
was in league with him all the time!'
'That is nonsense,' said Lady Merrifield, 'as you must see if you
reflect a little. Dolores was too young to have been told this man's
real character; she only knew that her mother, who had spent her
childhood with him, treated him as a brother, and did all she could for
him. Dolores did very wrongly and foolishly in keeping up a connection
with him unknown to me; but I cannot help feeling there was great
excuse for her, and she was quite as much deceived as you were.'
'Oh, of course, you stand by your own niece, Lady Merrifield. If you
knew what horrid things she said about your pride and unkindness, as
she called it, you would not think she deserved it.'
'Nay, that is exactly what does most excuse her in my eyes. Her
fancying such things of me was what did prevent her from confiding in
me.'
Constance had believed herself romantic, but the Christian chivalry of
Lady Merrifield's nature was something quite beyond her. She muttered
something about Dolores not deserving, which made her visitor really
angry, and say, 'We had better not talk of deserts. Dolores is a mere
child--a mother-less child, who had been a good deal left to herself
for many months. I let her come to you because she seemed shy and
unhappy with us, and I did not like to deny her the one pleasure she
seemed to care for. I knew what an excellent person and thorough lady
your sister is, and I thought I could perfectly trust her with you.
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