A month had elapsed.
In the exquisite little drawing-room of a first-floor flat in Victoria
Street, Westminster, where tender lights filtered through the golden
shadows of silken hangings, sat Valerie. Her attitude was one of
repose--deep, unruffled. From the crown of her handsome head to the tip
of her dainty shoe she was perfect. With her eyes fixed seriously upon
the ceiling, she sat crouching in her chair with all the abandon of a
dozing tigress. The room, a glowing blaze of colour, and carpeted with
rich skins, was a fitting jungle. With all a woman's cunning she had
chosen a tea-gown of pale heliotrope silk, which, falling in artistic
folds, gave sculptural relief to her almost angular outline, and
diffused a faint breath of violets about her.
She gave a stifled yawn and drew a heavy breath, as one does when
encountering some obstacle that must be overcome.
"I wonder whether he will come?" she exclaimed, aloud.
As she uttered these words the door opened, and Nanette, her discreet
French maid, entered.
"M'sieur Trethowen," she announced.
He followed quickly on the girl's heels, with a fond, glad smile.
"I must really apologise, my dear Valerie. Have I kept you waiting?" he
cried breathlessly, at the same time bending and kissing her lightly.
She gave her shapely shoulders a slight shrug, but watched him with
contemplative eyes as he rushed on.
"I thought I should be unable to take you out to-day, as I was detained
in the City upon business. However, I've brought the dog-cart round.
The drive will do you good, for the weather is superb."
"Indeed," she said languidly. Putting out a lazy, bejewelled hand, she
drew back the curtain that hid the window, and gazed out upon the bright
afternoon. "Yes, it is lovely," she assented. "But you must excuse me
to-day, Hugh. I am not feeling well."
"Why, what's the matter?" he asked in alarm, noticing for the first time
that there was a restless, haggard expression about her eyes.
"Oh, it's nothing," she replied with a smile; "really nothing. A mere
headache. I shall be better to-morrow."
"Can I do anything for you?"
"No, thanks," she answered, motioning him to a seat beside her.
"No, no, at your feet; Valerie--always at your feet," the young man
replied gayly, throwing himself down before her, and flinging his head
back in order to gaze more intently into the dark, brilliant eyes above
him.
Keeping time with a heavy finger, he sang, in a not unmusical baritone,
two lines of an old French love song:
"Non, ma jeunesse n'est pas morte,
Il n'est pas mort ton souvenir."
But his fair companion was almost oblivious to the importance of the
burden of his melody. With her little pointed chin against the rose of
her palm, she sat lost in a world of reverie.
"Do you ever see Jack Egerton now?" she asked suddenly.
He smiled, accustomed to her wilful wanderings.
"Yes, frequently," he said in turn. "We have known one another so long,
that I look upon him as my best friend."
"Your best friend!" she echoed. "Ah! that is to be regretted. Then you
could not have known him when he was a student in Paris."
"No; tell me about him," Hugh asked anxiously.
"Although I knew him, I shall say nothing beyond the fact that his was
an unenviable reputation."
His lips were parted in surprise as he looked at her.
"My darling," he said, a trifle coldly, "you can't expect me to judge my
friend without being aware of his offence."
"His offence?" she exclaimed, with a start. "What--what do you mean?
What do you know of his offence?"
He was astonished at her sudden and intense interest.
"Nothing beyond what you have just told me," he replied calmly, although
her strange agitation had not escaped him.
It seemed as if she had unintentionally referred to something she wished
to hide. Drawing a long breath, she quickly recovered herself.
"Ah, I understand," she said; "I thought you were referring to--other
things."
The mention of Paris had brought vividly to his memory the strange
letters and the photograph he had discovered among his dead brother's
papers. A dozen times he had resolved upon approaching the subject, in
an endeavour to find out how they came into his possession, but each
time he had refrained from doing so because he feared causing her
annoyance.
Piqued by the uncomplimentary terms in which she had spoken of Egerton,
he uttered a question which the moment after the words fell from his
lips he regretted.
"Valerie," he said, grasping her hand, and gazing earnestly into her
eyes, "I have a curious desire to know whether you ever were acquainted
with my brother?"
The light died out of her face instantly. She turned pale as death, her
delicate nostrils dilated, and her lips quivered strangely.
"What do you mean?" she gasped.
"I simply asked whether you were ever acquainted with my brother
Douglas, who was murdered, poor fellow."
"Murdered!" she cried hoarsely. "Was Douglas Trethowen murdered?"
"Yes; I thought you were aware of that painful incident."
"_Dieu_!" she ejaculated, with a shudder. "I knew he was dead, but I
was told he died of fever," she said in a harsh, low voice.
"Then you knew him?"
"No--I--we were not acquainted," she replied, endeavouring to remain
calm, at the same time passing her slim hand across her blanched face.
Her breast heaved convulsively, and her limbs trembled. But it was only
for a moment.
"Strange that you did not know him," Hugh said in a tone of distrust.
"What caused you to think that he and I were friends?" she asked, rather
haughtily, bracing herself up with an effort.
He hesitated. He was on the point of telling her of his discovery and
demanding an explanation, but he decided that such a course might be
indiscreet.
"Well," he replied, "I had reason for believing so."
"What was your reason?" she inquired, breathless with anxiety, as if
half fearing his reply.
He had determined not to tell her the truth.
"Oh, a very foolish one," replied he, with a laugh. "It was a mere
fancy."
"Only a fancy," she said dreamily. "Are you sure it was nothing more?"
"Why are you so anxious to know?" he demanded, raising her hand to his
lips.
"It's feminine curiosity, I suppose," she said, smiling.
"Well, then, I assure you it was only an absurd notion that somehow took
possession of me."
"An absurd notion," she echoed absently. "Why, of course it is! How
could I have known your brother when I have been so little in England?"
"You might have met him in society."
"No; believe me, to my knowledge I have never seen him. If I had, what
difference could it make?"
"If you entertained any affection for him--"
"What nonsense you are talking to-day, Hugh," she interrupted, with a
little derisive laugh. "I really believe you are jealous."
"Perhaps I am," he admitted; "but, you see, I love so well that any such
shortcoming you really must excuse."
He laughed inwardly at the glibness of his invention.
But her manner had suddenly changed.
"You will love me always, will you not, Hugh?" she whispered earnestly.
"Yes, dearest; of course I shall," he replied tenderly. "I have spoken
unkindly--forgive me."
Bravely smothering a storm of rising sobs, she held him with both her
small hands until she had sufficiently controlled herself to speak.
"I thought a few moments ago that--that you no longer cared for me," she
said, with an effort, watching the effect of her words with wide-open,
earnest eyes.
"No, Valerie, you were mistaken," he replied in a low, intense tone. "I
love you, and nothing shall ever part us."
They had risen, and were standing together before the fireplace.
For a moment she stared vacantly before her. Then she threw herself
into his arms, and, clinging to him convulsively, hid her face upon his
shoulder.
"I love you, Hugh; I love you more than I have loved any man," she
murmured.
He strained her to his heart--a heart remorseful, even miserable and
unhappy. Not even her declaration of love brought him a ray of
consolation, for the gnawing consciousness of some deep mystery
connected with her past, and the danger of their love for one another,
had crushed all happiness from his soul.
And although he was feigning love and endeavouring to console her, yet
there was no help for it--they were inseparable, their beings were knit
together, their hearts were one.
She possessed the fatal power of fascination. He was under her spell.
With an effort to shake off the gloom that was possessing him, he spoke
to her words of comfort.
She tried to reply, but a great sob choked her utterance.