turns slowly and looks up at SIR WILLIAM; he involuntarily
raises his hand to his mouth. Her eyes travel on to LADY
CHESHIRE, who faces her, but so deadly pale that she looks as if
she were going to faint. The girl's gaze passes on to BILL,
standing rigid, with his jaw set.

FREDA. I want--[Then flinging her arm up over her eyes, she turns
from him] No!

SIR WILLIAM. Ah!

At that sound of profound relief, STUDDENHAM, whose eyes have
been following his daughter's, moves towards SIR WILLIAM, all
his emotion turned into sheer angry pride.

STUDDENHAM. Don't be afraid, Sir William! We want none of you!
She'll not force herself where she's not welcome. She may ha'
slipped her good name, but she'll keep her proper pride. I'll have
no charity marriage in my family.

SIR WILLIAM. Steady, Studdenham!

STUDDENHAM. If the young gentleman has tired of her in three months,
as a blind man can see by the looks of him--she's not for him!

BILL. [Stepping forward] I'm ready to make it up to her.

STUDDENHAM. Keep back, there? [He takes hold of FREDA, and looks
around him] Well! She's not the first this has happened to since
the world began, an' she won't be the last. Come away, now, come away!

Taking FREDA by the shoulders, he guides her towards the door.

SIR WILLIAM. D---n 'it, Studdenham! Give us credit for something!

STUDDENHAM. [Turning his face and eyes lighted up by a sort of
smiling snarl] Ah! I do that, Sir William. But there's things that
can't be undone!

He follows FREDA Out. As the door closes, SIR WILLIAM'S Calm
gives way. He staggers past his wife, and sinks heavily, as
though exhausted, into a chair by the fire. BILL, following
FREDA and STUDDENHAM, has stopped at the shut door. LADY
CHESHIRE moves swiftly close to him. The door of the
billiard-room is opened, and DOT appears. With a glance round,
she crosses quickly to her mother.

DOT. [In a low voice] Mabel's just going, mother! [Almost
whispering] Where's Freda? Is it--Has she really had the pluck?

LADY CHESHIRE bending her head for "Yes," goes out into the
billiard-room. DOT clasps her hands together, and standing
there in the middle of the room, looks from her brother to her
father, from her father to her brother. A quaint little pitying
smile comes on her lips. She gives a faint shrug of her shoulders.

The c