The prolonged excitement of events, the sense of responsibility and danger, the exaltation of such a moment must have reacted on Valerie. Whether prompted by some instinct of coquetry, or betrayed into a touch of real feeling, or perhaps moved by the knowledge that death stood close beside them both, she drew her hand from his arm and raising her face asked in her soft voice:
'Do you remember what you said to me once—on the night of the palace ball?'
He saw the deep eyes upraised to his, though their meaning in that dim place he could not be sure of, but a rush of quick memories came over him.
'Yes.'
She gave a little excited laugh.
'Then expect me!' she said. And she was gone.
When Valerie returned to Madame de Sagan half an hour later she was still white and breathless. Isolde, in a fever of impatient terror, caught her by the arm.
'Where is he? When is he coming! Valerie—'
Valerie made a supreme effort to control herself.
'He is on guard.'