“A hopeless errand, I fear.”
His tone made her look up into his face with a start. It seemed to have far more of fate in it than was concerned with a wrecked carriage.
But she tried not to betray the sinking at her heart.
“You can doubtless put us in the way of procuring another carriage,” she suggested.
“Perhaps. I am not sure.”
There was no mistaking the half threat in his tone. She looked at him now in scarcely disguised apprehension.
“You are not sure?” she repeated.
His ferine teeth gleamed out in an inscrutable smile. “Hardly. I have certain doubts as to how far my help should be given. Doubts, pardon me, as to the correctness of the story the Lieutenant told me last night. Yes. Now you, Fräulein, may perhaps find it expedient to declare the truth.”
It was an ugly invitation, more especially in the way it was given. So this was the purpose of the interview, Minna thought; but to what ultimate end? What right had this man, in exchange for a night’s food and shelter, to be inquisitorial?
“I can tell you,” she replied, “nothing more than you have already heard.”