“Certainly,” I answered; though the scathing contempt in her voice and eyes made me wince. “I see no reason against your doing so! And believe me, madam,” I continued earnestly, “excepting in so far as my duty here compels me, I have no desire to interfere with your actions or restrain your freedom.” Yet I might have spared myself the confession, for without a word of thanks from either of them they moved away. “And one word more, madam,” I continued, as they reached the doorway; “the paper——?” and I hesitated.
My lady turned quickly at the words.
“The paper which you stole, sir?” she said coldly.
“Which I—— You use a harsh phrase, madam,” I answered irrelevantly, advancing a few paces nearer to her. On a sudden I was minded to prove to her that she was unjust to me—to shame her for her words. “I had no wish,” I continued in a low voice, “to use it to your injury, my lady, and so——”
“You can spare me further, sir!” she interrupted icily. “Your insolence I can bear for the present, but not your hypocrisy. That you are present here to-day is insult enough to my womanhood; for the rest, I pray you keep as far from me as the limits of this house permit.”
For a moment I stood before her tongue-tied and trembling. Then:
“Very well, madam,” I said harshly. “As you please! I was about to say that this paper is no longer in my possession, but in the hands of those who will make ruthless use of it should any accident befall me! I am aware that the cliffs of Cleeve are dangerous,” I added meaningly; and with a bow I went back to my seat.
But alone with my thoughts, I cursed the foolishness that had led me to demand their presence, and I laid the humiliation I felt at my lady’s door. Bah! ’twas a pitiful little triumph, and one worthy of her! As I recalled the look that had shone in her eyes I bit my lip savagely and strove with what appetite I could rally to complete my meal. But the taste had gone from the dishes, the wine was sour.
Presently, in sheer ill humour with things in general, and with my lady in particular, I rose from the table, and making my way to the stables, mounted my horse and set out for the village.
Arrived there, I assembled the astonished troopers, and there for an hour I drilled them in the little square before the inn. And well for the knaves that they gave me no offence upon which to vent my rage, for it would have gone hard with the offender, whomsoever he might have been.