ne?'

'Nothing; if he won't defend himself, our defence won't carry any
weight,' he went on, with a change of tone. 'But I don't see what real
good he does, even to her. She goes back to her husband now, but next
month or next year there'll be somebody else.'

'Yes,' replied Mrs. Willoughby; 'but I hardly fancy Stephen Drake would
consider that. I believe he would feel that he had no right to speculate
on what may not happen. He would just see this one clear, definite,
immediate thing to do, and simply do it.' She spoke the sentence with a
slow emphasis upon each word, and Fielding moved uneasily. It seemed to
strike an accusation at him. He braced himself to make the same
confession to Mrs. Willoughby which he had made that afternoon before to
Drake. But, before he could speak it, Mrs. Willoughby put to him a
question. 'Tell me, did he seem to mind much?'

'No,' Fielding answered with an air of relief. His confession was
deferred, if only for a minute. 'He seemed cheerful enough. The last
thing he did,' and he paused for a second, 'was to give me advice about
the management of the Matanga Company.'

'That's so like him,' she said gently. Then she looked up with a start of
interest. 'You are going to take his place?' she asked.

'He said I ought to. I know more about it than the other directors. Of
course they mayn't appoint me, but I expect they will.' Mrs. Willoughby
was silent. She moved away from the window and stood by the fireplace.
Fielding crossed to her. 'Drake gave me one other piece of advice,' he
said hesitatingly,--'not about business. It concerned me and just one
other person.' He pitched the remark in an interrogative key.

Mrs. Willoughby glanced quickly towards him with just the hint of a smile
dimpling about the corners of her lips. Fielding found it very difficult
to go on, but there was one clear, definite, immediate thing for him to
do as well, he said. 'Before I act on it there is something I ought to
tell you.' He paused for a second, and the trouble in his voice perplexed
Mrs. Willoughby. 'Whom do you think Mallinson got his knowledge about
Gorley from?'

Mrs. Willoughby took a step forward. 'Whom? Why,' and she gave a little
anxious laugh, 'from Clarice, of course.'

'No.'

Mrs. Willoughby looked at him for a moment in silence. Then she drew back
again. 'You told him?' she asked with a quiet wonder. 'Yes,' Fielding
nodded. 'But I only told you,' she said, 'because I wanted your advice.