This unknown lady was evidently rich, for there were evidences of wealth on all sides. The walls of grained wood were panelled with pictures between the port-holes, the doors of the various berths were draped voluminously with rich eastern stuffs; the floor was covered with a carpet of royal colours, and the furniture was upholstered in gaily-tinted silks. The whole was a blaze of colour, as vividly-hued as a rainbow.
Nor was the lady in her royal beauty unworthy of the place. She was tall, slim, stately, and bore herself in an imperial manner. Her skin was of a deep-olive, and her eyes were dark, large and liquid. What with her beautifully-shaped hands and feet, her haughty face, and refined features, Kind, accustomed to sum up people, guessed that she was a lady of rank, although of what position he could not guess. But as his eyes returned to her lovely face, and he saw the piercing gaze of her eyes, and how she tried to dominate him, he saw that it would be necessary to be on his guard. Again he avoided her intense gaze and glanced ostentatiously at the opposite wall, against which stood a small ebony table, fretted with gold. On this rested several photographs in silver frames. With a start Kind recognised the most prominent one as that of Captain Kyles. The lady saw his start and her eyes followed his.
"Why do you start?" she asked, sharply.
"I saw that gentleman at the inquest at Desleigh," he answered, feeling his way, for he could not quite understand the situation.
"And you saw me there also?" she asked, quickly. "Yes, Madame,--I mean,--yes, ma'am."
"I am neither French nor English. My name is Donna Maria Guzman. You can address me as Señora. Why have you come here?"
"To restore this," replied Kind, displaying the shawl.
"Where did you find it?"
The Cheap-jack thought that it was necessary to lie. If Armour had been abducted by her sailors, it was not likely that she would admit such a breach of the law.
"I picked it up on the road to Desleigh station," said he glibly.