When they parted on that Sunday night they could scarcely tear themselves asunder. Three weeks seemed so long, so desperately long. Margaret, woman of moods, suddenly launched at him that they would have no honeymoon at all. He was to look for the house at once, to find it without difficulty. “Then I’ll come up and confirm; set the painters to work, begin to look for things.” Gabriel pleaded for his honeymoon. “But it will all be honeymoon.” “I want you all to myself; for at least a little time. I won’t be selfish, but for a little while, just you and I....” He must have pleaded well, for though she made him no promise in words he knew she had answered “yes” by her eyes downcast, and breath that came a little quicker, by the clinging hands, by finding her in his arms, her undenying lips. CHAPTER XII On Monday morning he went up to town without seeing her again. Tuesday he got that fateful telegram: Stevens seen man hanging about house, shabby peering man. Questioned cook. Sick with fear. Send back all my letters at once by special messenger. In panic. On no account come down or near me but letters urgent. Stevens had told her in the evening whilst putting her to bed. Stevens knew all about the case and was alert for possible complications. The shabby man had been under the observation of cook and housemaid. “And much satisfaction he got out of what they told him. Askin’ questions an’ peerin’ about! Cook told him off, said no one hadn’t been stayin’ here, an’ if they had ’twas no business of his.” Margaret, pale and stricken, asked if the man looked like ... like a detective. “Lawyer’s clerk more like, but I thought I’d best let you know.” The news would have kept until the morning, but one could not expect a servant to take into consideration the effect her stories might have on Margaret’s sensitiveness. She had no sleep at all. Sleepless and shaken she lay awake the whole night, conjuring up ghosts, chiefly the ghost or vision of James, coarse-mouthed, cruel, vindictive. The bare idea of the case being reopened made her shudder, she had been so tormented in court, her modesties outraged. She knew she could never, would never bear it again. If the dreadful choice were all that was left to her she would give up Gabriel. At the thought of giving up Gabriel it seemed there was nothing else for which she cared, nothing on earth.