For answer, she started as one starts who is suddenly reminded of that which it would be well they had not forgotten.
"My God!" she exclaimed, "to-day is Friday. He was expected back to-night."
"From where?"
"From Nancy. He had gone to seek the Duke----"
"To seek the Duke!" Andrew echoed. "To seek the Duke! Perhaps to make his peace with him," he continued with a bitter laugh. "To be well with the side that seems the winning one now!" Then he continued, "Nancy is north of this. Between it and Remiremont the mountains run. He might pass them, would pass them, doubtless, to gain his home. Yet, why descend to the slope? There could be naught to arouse his suspicions."
"Who else could have done this?" she asked, shaking still.
"I cannot say. Yet be sure of one thing, we shall know very soon. If it is he, he must be here ere long, and then--then we shall meet again."
"Again You have met before? And you do not fear him?"
"Fear him," said Andrew, looking down at her and touching her arm with one finger as he spoke. "Fear him! Mistress Wyatt, I came from England to----" Then he paused, knowing that he must not say too much as to why he was there instead of Philip. Contented himself, consequently, with saying, "No, madame, I do not fear him," and he laughed beneath his breath, remembering that, unless he wished to precipitate matters, he must not wake the sleepers below.
"Wake the sleepers below," he repeated to himself, musing, "wake the sleepers below!"