She laid a peculiar stress on the word "defend," which arrested his attention.
"'Defend'?" said he, with amazement. "What do you mean?"
She looked him straight in the face, and spoke with intense feeling. "I mean, that no member of your family is likely to cross my threshold."
There was something so threatening, so avenging in her voice, that he fell back a pace and said, hushed, "You speak as though you nursed a grudge against my family!"
Madame smiled scornfully. "Oh! no grudge whatever." Then she added slowly and very quietly, "But I remember!"
"Remember what?" cried he, more and more bewildered.
For a moment she did not answer. Then she turned to him and spoke. "Am I so changed—Jack Sayle?"
He stared. "Indeed, ma'am—" then suddenly he saw and remembered. He could only exclaim, "Good God!"
"Are you still puzzled?" she asked, with that mysterious smile of hers.
"Lucy!"