She started, drew herself up to her full height, and clenched her hands.
"Dombrain!" she said again. "Can he have revealed anything to Rupert? I know he hates me, and would do me an injury if he dared. But he cannot. No! I hold his secret; while I do that mine is safe with him. Oh! how ill I feel, but I must not faint, I must not quail. I must be brave--brave for my child's sake."
She bathed her face in cold water, took a small liqueur glass of brandy, which she produced from the dressing-bag, and then went to lie down for a time before facing her husband.
"To-night," she murmured, as her head sank on the pillows. "To-night, Rupert Pethram, we measure swords. Let us see who will win. You or I!"
[CHAPTER XVIII.]
FACE TO FACE.
"Oh, I was the husband and you were the wife;
We met, and we married, and parted.
Our meeting was happy, our marriage was strife:
Our parting left each broken-hearted.