“Frank!” she gasped, falling back a step.
“My God—Fenella!” he said; and for a moment they stood there—pale, speechless, petrified, gazing with horror and despair into each other’s faces.
CHAPTER X.
BY BRAM STOKER.
Lord Francis Onslow lifted his cap. The action was an instinctive one, for he was face to face with a lady; but he was half dazed with the unexpected meeting, and could not collect his thoughts. He only remembered that when he had last seen his wife she was opening the door of her chamber to De Mürger. For weeks he had been schooling himself for such a meeting, for he knew that on his return such might at any time occur; but now, when the moment had come, and unexpectedly, the old pain of his shame overwhelmed him anew. His face grew white—white till it seemed to Fenella that it was of the pallor of death. She knew that she had been so far guilty of what had happened that the murder had been the outcome of her previous acts. She knew also that her husband was ignorant of his part in the deed—and her horror of the man, blood-guilty in such a way, was fined down by the sense of her own partial guilt. The trial, with all its consequent pain to a proud and sensitive woman, had softened her, and she grasped at any hope. The sight of Frank, his gaunt cheeks, which told their tale of suffering, and now the deadly pallor, awoke all the protective feeling which is a part of a woman’s love. It was with her whole soul in her voice that she said again:
“Frank!” His voice was stern as well as sad as he answered her:
“What is it?” Her heart went cold, but she persevered.
“Frank, I must have a word with you—I must. For God’s sake, for Ronny’s sake, do not deny me.” She did not know that as yet Frank Onslow was in ignorance of De Mürger’s death; and when his answer came it seemed more hard than even he intended:
“Do you wish to speak of that night?” In a faint voice she answered:
“I do.” Then looking in his eyes and seeing the hard look becoming harder still—for a man is seldom generous with a woman where his honor is concerned, she added:
“O Heaven! Frank! You do not think me guilty! No, no, not you! not you! That would be too cruel!”