“Yes. After you left the Manor I called, and Lucie introduced me—as though I needed any introduction to him,” I laughed bitterly.
“Then where have you met him before?” she asked, deeply anxious.
“Abroad. I know who and what he is, Ella,” I said determinedly. “And you shall never be his wife.”
“But I must,” she declared. “It is all arranged. I cannot break my engagement. I dare not.”
“Then I shall simply go to the police and tell them what I know. I will never allow you to wreck your happiness because this fellow holds some mysterious power over you. You are mine, Ella—remember—mine!”
“I know! I know!” she gasped, her face pale, her eyes terrified. “But you must not say a word. I beg you, if you really love me, not to say a word.”
“Why not?”
“Because he would revenge himself upon me. I know certain of his secrets—secrets that I discovered by the merest chance. Any information given to the police he would suspect of coming from me. Therefore, don’t you see that any such attempt to free me will only bring upon me disaster—even death!”
“You fear he may take your life!” I gasped. “Ah! I see! He might even kill you, in order to close your lips!”
And I recollected the fellow’s ominous words I had overheard on the previous night, when he had told her that upon her secrecy his very life depended.