But it was
evident to him, and the knowledge gave him intense concern, that the girl
went in fear of Gervase Henshaw. That he was intimidating her, and using
his brother's death for that purpose, was beyond doubt, and the very fact
that Edith Morriston was a woman of uncommon courage and self-control,
one who in ordinary circumstances would be the last to give way to fear
or submit to bullying, showed how serious the matter had become.
Gifford on his part determined that this intolerable state of things must
come to an end, and that in spite of the command laid upon him by the
girl, he would now pit himself against her persecutor. He had given no
actual promise, and even if he had it would have been drawn from him in
ignorance of certain means which he possessed of help in this crisis.
And a significant circumstance which came to Gifford's knowledge a day or
two after his interview with Edith Morriston in the garden of Wynford,
was the cause of his beginning to take action without further delay.
Late on the next Sunday afternoon Gifford had gone for a country walk
which he had arranged to bring him round in time for the evening service
at the little village church of Wynford standing just outside the park
boundary.
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