“Certainly not, Marian. Whatever I can harmlessly and honestly do to help him I will do⁠—for the sake of making your life and mine, love, as easy and as happy as possible. But I will do nothing ignorantly, which we might, one day, have reason to feel ashamed of. Let us say no more about it now. You have got your hat on⁠—suppose we go and dream away the afternoon in the grounds?”

On leaving the house we directed our steps to the nearest shade.