As the bolt shot into its socket, Violet sprang to her feet.
"Belle, what do you mean?" she cried, a flood of angry crimson surging to her brow.
"I mean that if you will not go with me, you shall stay where you are until I return," Mrs. Mencke sharply answered, and then she swept down the stairs with a smile of triumph on her face, for she congratulated herself that she had done a very clever thing.
Violet stood, for a moment or two, speechless and white with anger over the indignity offered her.
"She has dared to lock me up like a naughty, five-year-old child!" she cried, passionately. "I will not submit to such treatment; and besides, I have promised to meet Wallace again at two o'clock. What am I to do? Belle evidently suspected that I meant to see him, and has taken this way to prevent it."
She sat down again and tried to think, though she was trembling with excitement and anger.
There was no other outlet to her suite of rooms, and it certainly appeared as if she must remain where she was until her sister's return.
Meantime Mrs. Mencke, upon going below, had called the housemaid and confided to her that, for good reasons, she had locked Violet in her room and she charged the maid not to let her out under any circumstances.
She ordered her to carry a nice luncheon to Violet at twelve, but to be sure to lock the door both going in and coming out, and on pain of instant dismissal to pay no heed to Violet's entreaties to be set at liberty.
Then, feeling that she had safely snared her bird, at least for a few hours, she went about her shopping with an easy mind.