Mariota gave a little cry of joy.
“You understand and you forgive us? How can you be so – wonderful? How can there be such a kind and – marvellous man in the world and how could – I have found him?”
The Earl did not answer.
He merely kissed her and it was a long time later before Mariota asked,
“You will not tell your – sister about Jeremy?”
“No, of course not,” the Earl replied. “It would be a great mistake, my darling, for your secret to be divulged to anybody except your husband and I very much doubt if Jeremy will confide in his wife.”
“I did promise Jeremy that nobody will ever know,” Mariota said, “but I had to tell – you in case it created a secret between us that might have spoiled our love.”
“There will be no secrets between us,” the Earl asserted fiercely. “I will take car
