"It is true, you idiot. You are blushing like a rose. And to-night, when that fiend Tchigorsky played that fool's trick upon us you had no eyes for any one but Geoffrey. Frightened as I was, I could see that. Your looks betrayed you. What are you going to do about it?"
Marion shook her head sadly. Never had any one at Ravenspur ever seen her look so forlorn and dejected as she did at this moment.
"I don't know," she said hopelessly. "I know what I ought to do. I ought to kill you and throw myself into the sea afterwards. Why should I go on leading my present life? Why should I shield you? What are you? What are you to me?"
"You dare ask me that question?"
"Oh! I dare anything in my present mood. Still, I am in your power. You have only to say the word and it is done."
"Then why do you take every means of thwarting me?"
Marion rose and crossed over to the door. Her eyes were shining. There was a certain restless motion of her hands.
"Take care," she whispered. "Don't drive me too far. Oh, if I could only live the last four years of my life over again!"