Westerham turned and looked her full in the eyes. “How long will it be?” he asked in a low voice, “before you come to trust me?”
He put his hand into his breast-pocket to take out the notes which he had assured himself had not been removed while he lay insensible at Mme. Estelle's.
The notes were gone.
It was impossible for him to help uttering an exclamation which drew Kathleen's attention to him.
“I have been robbed,” he said.
With a little sob Lady Kathleen rose from the table and steadied herself with her hands on the back of her chair.
At the same moment the door by which Westerham had entered opened again, and there came in two gentlemen in evening-dress. A third man followed close behind them, and a rush of angry blood crept up the back of Westerham's neck as he recognised Melun.
The room was quite hushed. The men about the table had been awed by the vast sum of money which the mysterious lady had staked and lost.
As she moved a step forward as though to go they drew aside to give her free passage, so that now she found herself face to face with the men who had just entered.