"See here, old girl--we've had a rotten afternoon, haven't we? Awfully rotten--never remember to have spent a worse. All my fault, too--poor old Duchess!... but look here, it's all right now. I understand everythin' and--and--dash it all--do stop cryin', Rachel, old girl." "It's been bad enough," she said, her voice steadier now, "the way I've been to you all this time, but I thought--at least--I was honest--I've tried--I've made a miserable failure--But, Roddy, you need--never--never--be afraid of anything again--I'm yours altogether, Roddy, to do anything with.... "All about Francis--I was mad somehow--It was grandmamma--feeling she had driven me into marrying you. And then Nita ... and then I didn't know you a bit--all there was in you--but now," and she raised her eyes and looked at him, "I love you with all my heart and soul and strength." He bent down his head and rather clumsily kissed her. "You know, Rachel, I was a bit frightened myself this afternoon--thought you might be angry because I took you by surprise. You bet, if I'd known what it was going to be like ... Well, thank the Lord, it's done, and we'll never have another like it--I'll see to that. Scenes are rotten things, aren't they?--I always loathed 'em even when I was tiny--so did the governor.... If he had me up for lickin' all he ever said was, 'Down with your bags!' That was all there was about it." She leant her cheek against his. "You've forgiven me all, everything--absolutely?" she asked. "There isn't any forgiveness in it," he answered. "It's all the other way, if it's anythin'.... You see, I've been thinkin' a lot while I was lyin' here. When there was that business over Nita I said you should always be free just as I told you I ought to be. Well, since--since I got that old tumble--I haven't any right to hold you at all. I'm just an old log here, no good, anyway, and only a nuisance. And if I thought I was keepin' you tied I'd be miserable. You see, I know you're fond of me now. I've got that.... Don't let's talk any more about it. You've got me and I've got you--and we aren't afraid of any old woman in the world." He held her closely to him, his arms strong about her. "There's something else to tell you." "Something else?" "Yes. We're going to have a child, you and I, Roddy. And now that you've forgiven me it's all right--but that's partly what's made me afraid all these last weeks. As it is, you've got me, got me, got me, safe for ever and ever!" "Well, I'm damned!" said Roddy. She could feel his hand trembling upon hers. "Oh," she whispered, "I was frightened this afternoon--terrified. I thought you'd never see me again." Roddy was turning things over in his mind. "A kid ... my word. Just the thing. A boy ... it'll be jolly for the Place and I can teach him a lot. It'll be somethin' to go back to the house for. Gosh! There's news!" His eyes wandered round the room.