reathing--as if
something checked it; otherwise her face was calm and she showed no
emotion.

"What's to be done?" demanded Lady Dashwood.

"Nothing can be done," said May, and she spoke breathlessly.

"Nothing!" exclaimed Lady Dashwood. "May!"

"Nothing, not if it is his wish," said May Dashwood, and she cleared her
throat and moved away.

"If he knew, it would not be his wish," said Lady Dashwood. "If he knew
about the other letter; if he knew what those women were like! Of
course," she went on, "men are such fools, that he might think he was
rescuing her from Belinda! But," she burst out suddenly, yet very
quietly, "can't he see that Gwen has no moral backbone? Can't he see
that she's a lump of jelly? No, he can't see anything;" then she turned
round again to the fire. "Society backs up fraud in marriage. People
will palm off a girl who drinks or who shows signs of inherited insanity
with the shamelessness of horse-dealers. 'The man must look out for
himself,' they say. Very well," said Lady Dashwood, pulling herself up
to her full height, "I am going to do--whatever can be done." But she
did not _feel_ brave.

May had walked to the dressing-table and was taking up brushes and
putting them down again without using them. She took a stopper out of a
bottle, and then replaced it.

Lady Dashwood stood looking at her, looking at the bent head silently.
Then she said suddenly: "This letter was posted when?" She suddenly
became aware that the envelope was missing. She had thrown it into the
fire in the drawing-room or dropped it. It didn't matter--it was written
last night. "Gwen must have posted her news at the latest yesterday
morning by the first post. Then when could it have happened? He never
saw her for a moment between dinner on Monday, when you arrived, and
when she must have posted her letter." Lady Dashwood stared at her
niece. "It must have happened before you arrived."

"No," said May. "He must have _written_--you see;" and she turned round
and looked straight at Lady Dashwood for the first time since she read
that letter.

"Written that same night, Monday, after Mr. Boreham left?"

May moved her lips a moment and turned away again.

"I don't believe it," said Lady Dashwood.

"If it is his wish--if he is in love," said May slowly, "you can do
nothing!"

"He is not in love with her," said Lady Dashwood, with a short bitter
laugh. "If she speaks to me about it before his return, I--well, I shall