‘It seems to me,’ Isodore put in reflectively, ‘that Le Gautier has worked upon Sir Geoffrey’s superstitious fears till he has him bound fast enough. And you say he is to join the Brotherhood. Really, I begin to feel an admiration for the man I am pledged to destroy. It is clear that he has promised his daughter to Le Gautier. Is she weak?’
‘On the contrary, though she is gentle and tractable, there is much determination of purpose underlying her gentleness.’
‘You have done wonders in this short time, my sister. But do not relax your vigilance now; let nothing escape you that may be of use to us.’
‘I must return,’ Lucrece explained, looking at her watch, ‘or I shall be missed. I will not fail to bring you such information as falls in my way from time to time.’
After she was gone, the women sat quietly for a time, each pondering over what they had heard. The information was not much; but it sufficed to show them in what way the influence over the weak baronet had been obtained, and every detail of Le Gautier’s movement might be of use. A wild plan formed itself in Isodore’s busy brain, as she sat thinking there. ‘Why should it not be?’ she thought.
‘Do you think it would be possible for any one to love me?’ she asked.
Valerie looked into the beautiful face and smiled. ‘How otherwise?’
‘Then it shall be so. Valerie, I am going to make Hector le Gautier love me as he never loved woman before!’
CHAPTER IX.
Hector le Gautier, all unconscious of the plot against his safety and peace of mind, sat over his breakfast the same morning. He was on remarkably good terms with himself, for all his plans were prospering, and for him the present outlook was a rosy one. His plans were well laid. He intended to keep his present position in the League, to go to Warsaw if necessary; and now that he had Sir Geoffrey in his hands beyond all hope of extrication, it was easy enough to send Maxwell upon some dangerous foreign mission, where, if he escaped with his life, he would henceforth be an outlaw and a fugitive. Sir Geoffrey, too, had bound himself to join; and with this lever, he could work upon Enid’s fears to perfection.