“But——” she paused, and then those strange eyes of hers expressed perplexity and trouble and rising alarm. “I am afraid I—I don’t understand.”
“Yet my words were very simple. I wish to see Mademoiselle Dominguez.”
“I heard that, of course. But is it possible, you believe she is here? Do you mean you do not know what has occurred? You find out so many things, you know,” she added with a quick thrust.
“I know that she came here last night. I have seen her mother this morning; but, as you suggest, I do find out things. You were under the impression last night that she did not reach your house; but”——and I paused as I made a shot, speaking very meaningly—“I know how she came to the house.”
A single swift up-lift of the deeply fringed lids told me that the unexpected shot had pierced the armour-plate of her defence; and when she looked up after a pause all the assumption of surprise had disappeared.
“You have only yourself to blame, Mr. Donnington,” she said, tone and manner both very earnest. She had as many moods as an actress has costumes and was able to change them much more quickly.
“And that means—what, if you please?”
“I am genuinely sorry for you. I knew from the first that your object here was Miralda; and you will remember that I warned you. You would not heed the warning. You set to work to win back Miralda; and had she been free, you would have succeeded. But she was not free; and when you took the mad step of driving Major Sampayo from the city you—well, you can understand what was sure to follow.”
“On the contrary I do not understand, madame.”
“You precipitated matters, of course. Miralda is Major Sampayo’s wife and is now with his friends.”