He read her thoughts and smiled quietly, for, by her expression, he could gauge the depth of her subtlety. She was no match for him, if she were innocent enough to believe him capable of such folly.
"You compliment me," he returned, "but to go on—in the first place, he learned of your connection with Lady Isabelle's marriage. It opened his eyes somewhat."
"She told him?"
"She did. You forced her to do so, by your threat against her husband."
Miss Fitzgerald bit her lip, and said nothing.
"Lady Isabelle," continued Kent-Lauriston, "in appealing to the Secretary to save her husband, gave him the clue he was searching for; which resulted in his discovery of the friendly turn you had done the Lieutenant, in making him unconsciously, shall we say, particeps criminis?"
"Ah!"
"Have you seen Colonel Darcy to-day?"
She paused for a moment, considering, and then decided it was better to be straightforward, and replied:
"Not since yesterday morning. I went to see him last evening, but found him out."