She was a stranger in this foreign land, without a friend outside the family to whom to turn in her hour of need.
If she should take the law, as she had threatened, no one would believe the story, as Mrs. Coolidge had said.
Only Isabel and her mother knew anything of what had just transpired, and if they should deny her statement, how could she help herself, and who, indeed, would believe that a poor governess owned such valuables?
The more she thought the more hopeless her case seemed to become.
Once her thoughts turned involuntarily to Adrian Dredmond; perhaps he would help her.
But her maidenly delicacy recoiled from seeking aid from him, a stranger.
Where should she go? What should she do?
CHAPTER XVI
DECLARATION OF LOVE
While Brownie was weeping out her misery alone, and trying to plan what was best for the future, Isabel Coolidge and her mother were examining, more at their leisure, the beautiful ornaments, which had so excited their admiration and astonishment and which they both began now to covet.
Isabel tried the effect of each separate piece upon herself.