He paused an instant, seeming to review the case sombrely. “I managed to get them both off, scot free; and that makes them loyal. But it would go hard with anyone who tried to escape to the mainland and tell on them—to say nothing of me.... Mrs. Clover has ever since been quite convinced of the virtue of vitriol. She keeps a supply handy most of the time, in case of emergencies. And she sleeps lightly; don’t forget that. I hate to think of what she might do if she thought you meant to run away and tell tales.”
Slowly, step by step, guessing the way to the outer door, the girl backed away from him, her face colourless with horror. Very probably he was lying to frighten her; very possibly (she feared desperately) he was not. What she knew of him was hardly reassuring; the innate, callous depravity that had poisoned this man beyond cure might well have caused the death-in-life of other souls. What he was capable of, others might be; and what she knew him to be capable of, she hardly liked to dwell upon. Excusably she conceived her position more than desperate; and now her sole instinct was to get away from him, if only for a little time, out of the fœtid atmosphere of his presence, away from the envenomed irony of his voice—away and alone, where she could recollect her faculties and again realise her ego, that inner self that she had tried so hard to keep stainless, unspoiled and unafraid.
He watched her as she crept inch by inch toward the door, his nervous fingers busy about his mouth as if trying to erase that dangerous, evil smile.
“Before you go,” he said suddenly, “I should tell you that you will be alone with Mrs. Clover tonight. I’m going to town, and Ephraim’s to wait with the boat at Pennymint Point, because I mean to return before morning. But you needn’t wait up for me; Mrs. Clover will do that.”
Eleanor made no reply. While he was speaking she had gained the door. As she stepped out, Mrs. Clover reappeared, making vigorously round the corner of the house.
Passing Eleanor on the stoop, she gave her a busy, friendly nod, and hurried in.
“Eph’ll be up in half an hour,” she heard her say. “Shall I serve your supper now?”
“Please,” he said quietly.
The girl stumbled down the steps and blindly fled the sound of his voice.