"That's precisely what Mrs. Crosby is, my dear," answered Sir Adam calmly. "The fact that she comes of decent people doesn't alter the case in the least. Nor the fact that she has one rich husband, and wishes to get another instead. I say that her husband is rich, but I'm very sure he has ruined himself in the last two years, and that she knows it. She is not the woman to leave him as long as he has money, for he lets her do anything she pleases, and pays her well to leave him alone. But he has got into trouble--and rats leave a sinking ship, you know. You may say that I'm cynical, my dear, but I think you'll find that I'm telling you the facts as they are."
"It seems an awful insult to the woman to send her a copy of your will," said Lady Johnstone.
"It's an awful insult to you when she tries to get rid of her husband to marry your only son, my dear."
"I'm not sure. If he thought it would be dishonourable not to marry her, he'd be quite capable of doing it, and of blowing out his brains afterwards."
"That wouldn't improve her position," observed the practical Lady Johnstone.
"She'd be the widow of an honest man, instead of the wife of a blackguard," said Sir Adam. "However, I'm doing this on my own responsibility. What I want is that you should witness the will."
"And let Mrs. Crosby think I made you do this? No--"
"Nonsense. I sha'n't copy the signatures--"
"I'm not going to write to her that I've made a will, if I haven't," answered Sir Adam. "A will isn't a will unless it's witnessed. I'm not going to lie about it, just to frighten her. So I want you and Mrs. Bowring to witness it."
"Yes--there are no men here, and Brook can't be a witness, because he's interested. You and Mrs. Bowring will do very well. But there's another thing--rather an extraordinary thing--and I won't let you sign with her until you know it. It's not a very easy thing to tell you, my dear."
Lady Johnstone shifted her fat hands and folded them again, and her frank blue eyes gazed at her husband for a moment.
"I can guess," she said, with a good-natured smile. "You told me you were old friends--I suppose you were in love with her somewhere!" She laughed and shook her head. "I don't mind," she added. "It's one more, that's all--one that I didn't know of. She's a very nice woman, and I've taken the greatest fancy to her!"
