"Not now," Aynesworth answered. "I have been mad to stay with you for
four years, to look on, however passively, at all the evil you have
done. I've had enough of it now, and of you! I came here to tell you
so."
"A letter," Wingrave answered, "would have been equally efficacious.
However, since you have told me--"
"I'll go when I'm ready," Aynesworth answered, "and I've more to say.
When I first entered your service and you told me what your outlook
upon life was, I never dreamed but that the years would make a man of
you again, I never believed that you could be such a brute as to carry
out your threats. I saw you do your best to corrupt a poor, silly
little woman, who only escaped ruin by a miracle; I saw you deal out
what might have been irretrievable disaster to a young man just
starting in life. Since your return to London, you have done as little
good, and as much harm, with your millions as any man could."
Wingrave was beginning to look bored.
"This is getting," he remarked, "a little like melodrama. I have no
objection to being abused, even in my own garden, but there are limits
to my patience. Come to the point, if you have one."
"Willingly," Aynesworth answered. "I want you to understand this. I
have never tried to interfere in any of your malicious schemes,
although I am ashamed to think I have watched them without protest.
But this one is different. If you have harmed, if you should ever dare
to harm this child, as sure as there is a God above us, I will kill
you!"
"What is she to you?" Wingrave asked calmly.
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