‘I think I suggested before, sir, that it would be better to drop all that humbug,’ said Tor blandly. ‘I’ve no doubt you’ve repeated such sentiments so often to your female relations, that you have grown almost to believe in them yourself. But at the same time you must be quite aware that such protestations are a little out of character, and strike an impartial observer as rather too much of a good thing. You talk of loving Maud like a father. Rather odd how delighted she was at escaping from the paternal roof. She can never congratulate herself enough yet that she is really free for ever from the shadow of Thornton House.’ ‘Girls are so contrary; never know when they are well off,’ growled Belassis. ‘I find Maud anything but contrary; however, we will let that pass. I am not going to condemn you simply because Mrs. Lorraine and my sister were so thankful to escape from your care—we all know that women will have their whims. What I want to know is this: why are you so bent upon this marriage I You would rather Maud married and was miserable, than that she should refuse your son—you know perfectly well that it is so. And as so much comes to him in any case, why should you care? What is your motive?’ Mr. Belassis’ eyes had grown sullen and sombre. He only vouchsafed a few surly words. ‘I have told you the reason, my only reason. I have no motive. What is it to me?’ ‘That is what I mean to find out,’ returned Tor, with cool significance. ‘The reason you allege is miserably insufficient. I must try and find out the true one.’ At last Mr. Belassis’ rage and fury burst out. Fear was the motive power, as Tor was quick enough to detect. ‘You dare insult me like this, Philip Debenham! You dare cast these foul aspersions on my integrity! I, who have been an honoured and trusted friend to your father, and a father to his ungrateful children! How dare you sit there and heap insult upon insult! How dare you look me in the face and utter such words! You viper! you adder! you would sting the hand that has loaded you with benefits! Do you not know what you owe to me? Who was it paid for your education and maintenance for eight long years after your father’s death? You owe everything to me—everything. Do you not know that it was to my generosity you owe it that you were not brought up by the parish? Do you not know that your father died a ruined, penniless man?’ ‘Yes, I know that perfectly,’ answered Tor, who sat utterly unmoved by this outbreak. ‘What I do not know, and what I want to understand is, how it came about that he did die ruined and penniless. Perhaps you can enlighten me further on that point?’ All the anger faded out of Belassis’ face. He looked quite pale and scared, like a man who has received blow upon blow till sense has almost departed. ‘He speculated,’ came the answer, spoken in a gasp.