Hastily concealing it in her bosom, Adeline retraced her steps to Ravensworth Hall.
On her arrival she hurried to her boudoir, lighted the wax tapers, and examined the paper ere she even laid aside her bonnet and shawl.
Yes—it contained an address; and the words were scrawled as they would be if written in the dark.
There could, then, be no doubt that this was the address which one of the men had given to his companion in the ruins of the gamekeeper's lodge.
"It is useful to know that such a villain as this can be hired for money!" muttered Adeline to herself, as she concealed the paper in one of her jewel-caskets. "What did he say? That if any one went to him and whispered, 'There is my enemy, and here is your price—now go and kill him,' he would take the bribe and do the deed. And did he not boast that he was employed by the rich and the powerful? In what manner could such persons require his aid? Assuredly in no good cause! Ah! Lydia—Lydia," continued Adeline, her brows contracting and a dark cloud passing over her countenance as she spoke, "be not too confident! You are now in my power!"
But scarcely was the fearful thought thus implied, when Adeline seemed to recoil from it with horror: for, covering her face with her hands, she almost shrieked out, "No—no! I could not do it!"
"What can you not do, dearest?" said a low voice close by her ear; and almost at the same instant she was clasped in the arms of Colonel Cholmondeley.
"Release me—release me!" exclaimed Adeline, struggling to free herself from his embrace.
"Not till I have imprinted another kiss upon, those sweet lips," returned the Colonel: "not till I have made my peace with you, dearest Adeline, in respect to the past:—else wherefore should I have come hither?"
And as he uttered these words, he glued his lips to hers, although she still continued to resist his insolence to the utmost of her power.