“I think that Colonel Quaritch must know the reason, and will not press me to explain,” said Edward Cossey.
“I know of no reason,” replied the Colonel sternly, “unless indeed it is that I have been so unfortunate as to get the best of Mr. Cossey in a friendly shooting match.”
“Colonel Quaritch must know well that this is not the reason to which I allude,” said Edward. “If he consults his conscience he will probably discover a better one.”
Ida and her father looked at each other in surprise, while the Colonel by a half involuntary movement stepped between his accuser and the door; and Ida noticed that his face was white with anger.
“You have made a very serious implication against me, Mr. Cossey,” he said in a cold clear voice. “Before you leave this room you will be so good as to explain it in the presence of those before whom it has been made.”
“Certainly, if you wish it,” he answered, with something like a sneer. “The reason why I refused to take your hand, Colonel Quaritch, is that you have been guilty of conduct which proves to me that you are not a gentleman, and, therefore, not a person with whom I desire to be on friendly terms. Shall I go on?”
“Most certainly you will go on,” answered the Colonel.
“Very well. The conduct to which I refer is that you were once engaged to my aunt, Julia Heston; that within three days of the time of the marriage you deserted and jilted her in a most cruel way, as a consequence of which she went mad, and is to this moment an inmate of an asylum.”
Ida gave an exclamation of astonishment, and the Colonel started, while the Squire, looking at him curiously, waited to hear what he had to say.
“It is perfectly true, Mr. Cossey,” he answered, “that I was engaged twenty years ago to be married to Miss Julia Heston, though I now for the first time learn that she was your aunt. It is also quite true that that engagement was broken off, under most painful circumstances, within three days of the time fixed for the marriage. What those circumstances were I am not at liberty to say, for the simple reason that I gave my word not to do so; but this I will say, that they were not to my discredit, though you may not be aware of that fact. But as you are one of the family, Mr. Cossey, my tongue is not tied, and I will do myself the honour of calling upon you to-morrow and explaining them to you. After that,” he added significantly, “I shall require you to apologise to me as publicly as you have accused me.”