“I ask for no more, madam,” I replied earnestly. “Be assured that you will not find it to fail you.”
To this she answered nothing in words, but again she raised her lustrous eyes to mine. And by that glance I accounted myself amply repaid both for the danger I had escaped and for incurring De Brito’s enmity; for if she had seemed beautiful before, judge how enchanting she now appeared, when all scorn and pride had vanished from her face and left her a very woman. Seeing her in this softer mood, I felt my courage rapidly returning.
“And I also have somewhat to say to you, my lady,” I commenced after a moment’s pause.
“Indeed?” she answered inquiringly. “But I fear that I detain you, sir? You were going out?”
“To the village, madam,” I replied, “but that can wait.”
And again I laid aside my cloak.
“Then you will not ask me to sit down, Mr. Cassilis?” she said archly.
“Madam,” I stammered in reply, crimsoning with confusion, “forgive my lack of courtesy. If I had for a moment thought, that——” And I hastily crossed the floor to where a large leather-covered chair stood against the wall. I was in the act of lifting this when, happening to raise my eyes to an oval mirror that hung above it on the oak-panelled wall, I caught the reflection of my lady’s face behind me. And it was so changed, so stamped with a look of scorn and repulsion, that I dropped the chair I was raising and turned hastily round. Yet there stood my lady beside the table, gazing smilingly at me with sparkling eyes, so that I was fain to believe that my own had deceived me, or that the mirror by some trick had played me false. Without more ado, therefore, I raised the chair and returned to her side.
“Will you place it here for me, Captain Cassilis!” she said, moving with a click of her high heels near to one of the open windows. “Is not the night too lovely to miss enjoying?”
Obediently I placed my burden on the spot she indicated, and she seated herself, facing the open window. In truth it was a most lovely night. From where she sat a glorious vista was obtained of the broad, straight terrace, the sloping lawns, whitened by the moon, with the dark shadow of the woods beyond. And, rising above these latter, in the direction of the village, the massive, square tower of the church.