He kept his hand upon his brother's arm as they turned. He leaned
slightly upon him as they ascended the stairs. Eustace's room was the
first they reached, and they turned into that.
Scott was very pale, but there was no lack of resolution about him as he
closed the door and faced the elder man.
"Well, what is it?" Eustace demanded.
"Just this." Very steadily Scott made answer. "I want to know how far
this matter has gone between you and Miss Bathurst. I want to know--what
you are going to do."
"My intentions, eh?" Eustace's sneer became very pronounced as he put the
question. He pulled forward a chair and sat down with an arrogant air as
though to bring himself thus to Scott's level.
Scott's eyes gleamed again momentarily at the action, but he stood like a
rock. "Yes, your intentions," he said briefly.
Sir Eustace's black brows went up, he looked him up and down. "Can you
give me any reason at all why I should hold myself answerable to you?" he
asked.
Scott's hands clenched as he stood. "I can," he said. "I regard Miss
Bathurst as very peculiarly our charge--under our protection. We are both
in a great measure responsible for her, though possibly--" he hesitated
slightly--"my responsibility is greater than yours, in so far as I take
it more seriously. I do not think that either of us is in a position to
make love to her under existing circumstances.
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