It seemed clear from this that the Duchess must be known to Pauline. What act had Pauline committed against the Duchess that it should be called by the strong term “guilt”?
“That your Highness has enemies,” he said, after an interval of silence, “is, alas! but too true. They, or rather their agents, are here to-night.”
“How do you know this?”
“Concealed behind some shrubbery I overheard four men talking.”
“Of me? But not knowing my name how could you tell I was the person meant?”
“Because they spoke of a lady wearing a grey mask and a grey serge domino trimmed with silver cord, such as I see yours to be. One question will show whether you are the lady meant by them. Tell me, are you not seeking to present a letter to the Czarina?”
The Duchess looked a little oddly at Wilfrid, as if surprised at this knowledge on his part.
“It is true. I have upon me a letter addressed to the Czarina,” she murmured, speaking with a certain hesitancy.
“At this very moment these four men are looking for you, determined to prevent you, by means fair or otherwise, from giving that letter to the Czarina.”
“Lord Courtenay, you must not leave me till I am safe in the ballroom again. This letter must not be taken from us.”—The “us” thrilled Wilfrid.—“I say us,” she continued, with a smile, as pleasant as it was mysterious, “because the letter is of vital consequence to you as well as to me.”