Technically this assertion was exact, and it made Carrington feel that it would be base ingratitude on his part not to accept a favour so handsomely offered.
Yet he could not make up his mind to acceptance.

He begged four and twenty hours' delay, in order, as he said, to see whether he could arrange his affairs for a six months' absence, although he knew there would be no difficulty in his doing so.

He went away and sat in his office alone, gloomily wondering what he could do, although from the first he saw that the situation was only too clear, and there could not be the least dark corner of a doubt to crawl into.

Six months ago he would have jumped at this offer.
What had happened within six months to make it seem a disaster?
Mrs.Lee! There was the whole story.

To go away now was to give up Mrs.
Lee, and probably to give her up to Ratcliffe.