"Is it Lizzy Dene?"
"Who it is, or who it is not, is nothing to you," she rejoined, in the crossest tone I ever heard. "I know this: I would give the worth of a dozen letters ten times over to bring the mystery to light. They may be suspecting you and me next."
"Mrs. Penn!"
"Yes, Mrs. Penn!" she retorted, in a mocking tone. "We are the only strangers in the house, Anne Hereford."
As if my words had angered her past redemption, she quitted the room abruptly. Very soon Mr. Chandos returned to it, and the tea came in. He began talking of the lost letter—of the unpleasantness altogether. Should I tell him of my doubt? The old proverb runs, that if a woman deliberates she is lost: it proved so in my case, and I mentioned Lizzy Dene.
"Lizzy Dene!" repeated Mr. Chandos, in great surprise. "Lizzy Dene!"
"But indeed it is a doubt more than a suspicion; and it arises chiefly from my having found her in my room that night," I eagerly added, feeling half afraid of what I had done, and determined not to hint at her supposed alliance with Mr. Edwin Barley.
"Rely upon it, you are wrong, Anne," Mr. Chandos decided, without any pause. "Lizzy Dene would be the very last woman to act in a treacherous manner to our family. She may be foolishly superstitious, but she is honest as the day. I'll answer for her."
How could I say more?—unless my grounds against Lizzy Dene had been surer. Joseph took away the tea-things, and Mr. Chandos went to his own sitting-room. I stood at the little table in the corner of the room nearest the window, putting my workbox to rights. Some of its reels were on the window-ledge, and I moved to get them.
I don't know why I should have done it; unthinkingly, I believe; but I drew aside the muslin curtain to look out on the lovely night, and found my face in contact (save for the glass that was between us) with that of another face, peering in. Terribly startled, I drew away with a scream. Mr. Chandos came back at the moment, and I gave a frightened word of explanation. Quick as lightning, he laid forcible hold of me, put me in a chair in the sheltered corner close to the workbox, ordered me to stay in it—ordered me, and in the most peremptory manner—and turned to the window to fling it up. One moment and he had leaped out: but in his haste he broke a pane of glass.