‘Why, that packet of charming letters—twenty-five in all, if I remember rightly—which have afforded me so much consolation under our cruel separation, and which would prove, I feel sure, such very interesting reading for Lord Ilfracombe, shall remain in my custody, safe from all prying eyes except mine.’
‘But you promised to return them to me,’ argued Nora, and then with the greatness of the stake at issue before her eyes, and forgetting everything but that she was at the mercy of the man before her, the unhappy girl condescended to entreaty. ‘Oh, Mr Portland—Jack,’ she stammered, ‘for God’s sake—for the sake of the past, give me back those letters.’
‘How nice it is to hear you call me “Jack,”’ said Mr Portland, gazing boldly at her. ‘It almost reconciles me to the great loss I experienced in you. When you call me “Jack” I feel as if I could refuse you nothing.’
‘Then will you give them to me?’
‘Certainly, ma chère, haven’t I said so a dozen times? Only you must positively wait until I return to town. You women are so terribly unreasonable. And you, for your part, promise never to interfere between my old friend Ilfracombe and myself, and sometimes, to call me “Jack” for the sake of the past.’
Lady Ilfracombe was shivering now as if she had received a cold-water douche. She realised what being in the power of this man meant—that he would torture her, as a cat tortures a mouse, until he had bent her in every way to do his will.
‘I promise,’ she said in a low voice; ‘but if you gentlemen will play for such high stakes, you must not expect me to join your game. You would ruin me in no time; as it is, I am regularly “cleaned out.”’
‘I would much rather you did not join it,’ replied Mr Portland seriously. ‘Ladies are seldom any good at whist, and I would rather play dummy any day. I suppose Ilfracombe will take you to Newmarket and Epsom with him, but you will understand nothing of the races, so I make no objection to that. By the way, have you yet mentioned this matter of our playing high to him?
‘I told him I thought the stakes were high for a private game, but he contradicted me, and said it was no fun playing except for money.’
‘I should think not. However, don’t speak to him of such a thing again please. Besides, it is ridiculous. He has an ample fortune, and can afford to do as he pleases. I can’t see myself why you sit in the card-room in the evenings, the drawing-room is the proper place for a lady.’