Without warning Coralie entered the room. It must have been a triumph to her to see the tears in my eyes. She stood at some little distance from me.
"Edgar," she asked, "do you hate me?"
"No! I am too just to hate you for claiming what is your own. You ought to have told me before, Coralie. It has been most cruel to let me live in this delusive dream. If you had told me that night when I came here first, it would have been a momentary disappointment, but I should have gone back to my work none the worse for it."
"I might have done it, but I saw in this, my secret power, the means of winning you. Edgar, it is not too late even now. Make me mistress of Crown Anstey, and I will find the means of restoring your lost position to you."
I turned from her in unutterable loathing. She was so lost to all womanly honor and delicacy, my whole soul revolted against her.
"Not another word, Coralie. I would not take Crown Anstey from you if the alternative were death!"
"That is very decisive," she replied, with the mocking smile I dreaded. "We shall see."
"You will keep your word to me?" I cried, hastily. "You will say nothing to Clare? She will soon be well. I could not bear to have any obstacles thrown in the way of her recovery. When I leave her, my friends will make some arrangements to spare her the shock of knowing why—at least, for a time."
"I shall respect your wishes, Edgar. I have no desire to hurt your sister. She is quite safe, so far as I am concerned."
It may be imagined that I did not sleep very well that night. Early on the following morning Sir John rode over.