"Yes," he said, "that's quite all right, old chip, of course. You were bound to believe your husband, on your wedding-day, anyhow. It was inconceivable that I should lie to you on your wedding-day."
"Well, but" she said, "you did, you know, Bish."
"Yes, I did, but only because I had to. I'd promised your father to let not a soul into his secret. I had to keep faith with your father, Chloë. Had he not just given you to me at the altar—at least, wouldn't he have done so if he hadn't had lumbago? But I owed you to him. I simply had to keep faith with him. On our wedding-day, at any rate. So you must just forgive me for deceiving you. And really, if anyone is to blame, it's the Archdeacon, because he tempted me in the first instance with the offer of your hand. And, of course, that was irresistible."
