"Will I report to Captain Kyles, Señora?" he asked, with simplicity.
"No. Certainly not. Why should you report to Captain Kyles?" she asked quickly, and with sudden suspicion.
"Well, ma'am, since he is in command of this----"
"He is the captain, but the political business of Indiana is in my hands," said she haughtily, "you know what you have to do, go and do it. But if you talk,----" she looked so significantly at him that Kind, although not over-imaginative, shivered. It was ill-work dealing with this tiger-cat. At first sight, it seemed as though she had trusted a man unknown to her, very rashly, but now that he saw she was prepared to stick at nothing, to secure any necessary silence, he became aware that there was method in her rashness. All the same he had not yet learned if she loved Kyles, and ventured again to feel his way.
"Well, Señora, I daresay the Captain will be glad enough, not to be bothered with me while he's better employed."
"What do you mean?" asked Donna Maria, abruptly, and her eyes narrowed like those of a cat.
"There was a cove at Desleigh," went on Kind, watching her face, "a chap as is a doctor and a friend of Mr. Herries at that, Dr. Browne he is, and I did hear him say that the dead man's daughter is engaged to marry----"
The lady flew across the room, and grasped Kind's arm fiercely.
"Not to--to----" she could not proceed.
"To Captain Kyles, ma'am."