She spoke of it.
'What do I care?' he replied, waving his arm. 'Let them think what
they like. I must find Alice.'
Adela saw in a moment all that his absence would involve. He could
of course explain subsequently, but in the meantime vast harm would
have been done. It was impossible to neglect the meeting altogether.
She ran after him and stopped him on the pavement.
'I will go to this meeting for you,' she said. 'A cab will take me
there and bring me back. I will let them know what keeps you away.'
He looked at her with astonishment.
'You! How can you go? Among those men?'
'Surely I have nothing to fear from them? Have you lost all your
faith suddenly? You cannot go, but someone must. I will speak to
them so that they cannot but believe me. You continue the search; I
will go.'
They stood together in the pouring rain. Mutimer caught her hand.
'I never knew what a wife could be till now,' he exclaimed hoarsely.
'And I never knew _you_!'
'Find me a cab and give the man the address. I will be ready in an
instant.'
Her cheeks were on fire; her nerves quivered with excitement. She
had made the proposal almost involuntarily; only his thanks gave her
some understanding of what she was about to do. But she did not
shrink; a man's--better still, a woman's--noblest courage throbbed
in her.
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