The unworthy scheme, by means of which Lord Harry had proposed to
extricate himself from his pecuniary responsibilities, had led to
serious consequences. It had produced a state of deliberate
estrangement between man and wife.
Iris secluded herself in her own room. Her husband passed the hours of
every day away from the cottage; sometimes in the company of the
doctor, sometimes among his friends in Paris. His wife suffered acutely
under the self-imposed state of separation, to which wounded pride and
keenly felt resentment compelled her to submit. No friend was near her,
in whose compassionate advice she might have token refuge. Not even the
sympathy of her maid was offered to the lonely wife.
With the welfare of Iris as her one end in view, Fanny Mere honestly
believed that it would be better and safer for Lady Harry if she and
her husband finally decided on living separate lives. The longer my
lord persisted in keeping the doctor with him as his guest, the more
perilously he was associated with a merciless wretch, who would be
capable of plotting the ruin of anyone--man or woman, high person or
low person--who might happen to be an obstacle in his way. So far as a
person in her situation could venture on taking the liberty, the maid
did her best to widen the breach between her master and her mistress.
While Fanny was making the attempt to influence Lady Harry, and only
producing irritation as the result, Vimpany was exerting stronger
powers of persuasion in the effort to prejudice the Irish lord against
any proposal for reconciliation which might reach him through his wife.
"I find an unforgiving temper in your charming lady," the doctor
declared. "It doesn't show itself on the surface, my dear fellow, but
there it is. Take a wise advantage of circumstances--say you will raise
no inconvenient objections, if she wants a separation by mutual
consent. Now don't misunderstand me. I only recommend the sort of
separation which will suit our convenience. You know as well as I do
that you can whistle your wife back again--"
Mr. Vimpany's friend was rude enough to interrupt him, there.
"I call that a coarse way of putting it," Lord Harry interposed.
"Put it how you like for yourself," the doctor rejoined. "Lady Harry
may be persuaded to come back to you, when we want her for our grand
project. In the meantime (for I am always a considerate man where women
are concerned) we act delicately towards my lady, in sparing her the
discovery of--what shall I call our coming enterprise?--venturesome
villainy, which might ruin you in your wife's estimation. Do you see
our situation now, as it really is? Very well. Pass the bottle, and
drop the subject for the present."