How long she remained in the passage of the house, Ada had no means of distinctly knowing, but, when she recovered from her insensibility, she found herself in the parlour alone, and nearly in total darkness.
A few moments sufficed to bring to her recollection all that had occurred, and she sprang to her feet, looking anxiously around her, as well as the dim light would permit, to see if Jacob Gray was in the room.
An instant inquiry satisfied her that she was alone, but scarcely had she made this discovery when a gleam of light came in from the passage, and the door was gently and cautiously pushed open. Ada did not speak, but she shrunk into a corner of the room, and saw Gray enter, carrying with him a dim light.
“Ada! Ada!” he said.
“I am here,” she replied.
He set the light on the table, and she saw that his face looked harsh and haggard.
“We cannot stay here,” he said, after a pause. “This place will be hideous now.”
“Not stay here!“ cried Ada, and her heart sunk within her at the thought of being again removed at the very time when there was a chance of her being rescued by Albert Seyton, should he or any one knowing his name chance to see the paper she had given to Mad Maud.
“No—no,” added Gray, “I—I would not sleep here. The very air of this place smells of the grave! We must away, Ada!”
“How came I in this room?” said Ada!