"Aha! You have hurt yourself more than me. Two suits against you now
instead of one."
"Conduct this person from the house," said Lady Bassett to a servant
who entered at that moment.
"All right, my lady," said Wheeler; "I'll remind you of that word when
this house belongs to us."
CHAPTER X.
WITH this bitter reply Wheeler retired precipitately; the shaft pierced
but one bosom; for the devoted wife, with the swift ingenuity of
woman's love, had put both her hands right over her husband's ears that
he might hear no more insults.
Sir Charles very nearly had a fit; but his wife loosened his neckcloth,
caressed his throbbing head, and applied eau-de-Cologne to his
nostrils. He got better, but felt dizzy for about an hour. She made him
come into her room and lie down; she hung over him, curling as a vine
and light as a bird, and her kisses lit softly as down upon his eyes,
and her words of love and pity murmured music in his ears till he
slept, and that danger passed.
For a day or two after this both Sir Charles and Lady Bassett avoided
the unpleasant subject. But it had to be faced; so Mr. Oldfield was
summoned to Huntercombe, and all engagements given up for the day, that
he might dine alone with them and talk the matter over.
Sir Charles thought he could justify; but when it came to the point he
could only prove that Richard had done several ungentleman-like things
of a nature a stout jury would consider trifles.
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