"Information I take it, that would mean ruin to a certain person--a
woman!" and I held her steadily with my eyes.
Her mouth opened slightly, and I saw that she suspected that I had
gained some knowledge which she believed was his alone.
"A woman," she repeated. "Whom do you mean?"
"Lolita," I replied in a low hard voice.
"Lolita?" she gasped. "Who told you that--I mean, what makes you
suggest such a thing?"
"My conclusions are formed upon certain facts already known to me, Lady
Stanchester," I answered coldly. "You deceived me when you sought my
aid by declaring your desire to show your affection for your husband.
You had a deeper and more desperate game to play--and poor Lolita is to
be the victim."
"You love her, I suppose?" she snapped. "You needn't deny it. I've
seen it long ago--you, her brother's secretary!" she sneered. "Why, the
thing's absurd?"
"There is a wide gulf in our social positions, I admit, Lady
Stanchester," was my quick angry response. "But surely it is not so
strange nor so absurd that I should love a woman who is friendless, and
who has so strangely incurred your hatred!"
"Incurred my hatred? What foolishness are you talking now?" she asked
with that cold hauteur which she could assume to inferiors when she
willed.
"I repeat what I have said. You intend that the ruin that threatens you
shall fall upon Lolita. In plain words, you will sacrifice her, in
order to save yourself!"
"And who's been telling you this interesting untruth, pray?" she asked.
"I thought you knew Lolita sufficiently well to be aware that I have,
ever since my marriage to George, been her friend."
"To her face yes, but in secret no."
"You are insulting me, Mr Woodhouse," she exclaimed, her eyes flashing.
"I have always been Lolita's friend."
"Then prove your friendship by telling the truth concerning her," I
said, "the truth known equally to Marie Lejeune with yourself--the truth
that can save her from this unfounded charge against her."
I made a blind shot, and stood watching its effect upon the brilliant
woman.
A slight hardness showed at the corners of her mouth, and a strange
light shone in her eyes as she realised that I knew the truth, how she
had cleverly sought to deceive me by her false declaration of that love
for her husband which she had assuredly never entertained.
"I didn't know there was any charge against her. What is it?" she
inquired calmly.
"Prevarication is useless. Lady Stanchester," I said determinedly.
"Richard Keene has come here to get you to tell the truth concerning
Lady Lolita. You have refused, and he has threatened you with exposure.
You, on your part, have retaliated by threatening him, hence the
position at this moment is that he fears to speak lest he should incur
your revenge, while you refuse to speak the truth and remove suspicion
from Lolita. You intend, therefore, that she shall fall the innocent
victim. But recollect that I am her friend, and I will save her, even
if compelled to go to George and tell him everything."
She bit her lip. I could see that it had never crossed her mind, that,
being her husband's friend, I might lay bare the truth to him and expose
the fact that Richard Keene and Mr Smeeton were one and the same.
"Ah! So you intend to give me away?" she remarked, with a quick shrug
of the shoulders.
"I have no wish to do anything that will tend to cause a breach between
you and your husband," I answered. "I merely say that I intend to stand
as Lolita's friend, and to-night I shall go north, see her, and explain
all I know. She will be interested, no doubt, to hear that a friend of
your pre-matrimonial days is here as your husband's guest."
"Then you're going to tell her?" she asked with a quick start, and I saw
by the way her eyebrows had contracted that she was devising some plan
to counteract my intentions.
"I shall act just as I think proper, Lady Stanchester," I responded.
"In this affair I have the good name of only one person to consider--the
person whom you declare it is absurd for me to regard with affection."
"And so you mean to place me in a very invidious position by telling
tales to everybody?" she exclaimed with a supercilious smile. "Well,"
she added, "go up to Scotland and see her, if you like. Tell her
whatever you think proper; it will be all the same to me."
"Why?"
"Because I shall still retain the knowledge which I hold, and she
cannot--she will not dare to--do anything to injure me. If she does,
Mr Woodhouse--if she does--then I'll speak the truth--a truth that will
astound you, and cause you to regret that you ever interfered in my
affairs, or ever sought to befriend a woman guilty of a crime."
"Guilty of a crime!" I echoed. "What crime do you allege against Lady
Lolita?"
She merely laughed triumphantly in my face.
"I demand a reply to my question," I cried angrily.
"Ask her yourself. It is not for me to denounce her before she has
sought my downfall."
"But you make a distinct allegation!"
"And one that I can substantiate when the time is ripe," was the woman's
firm fearless answer.
"But you can clear her character if it suits you!" I exclaimed quickly.
"You have admitted that."
"You think fit to take the part of my enemies against me, therefore you
will find me merciless," was her vague ominous reply. "Go to Scotland
and see Lolita. Tell her that I have sent you--and," she added, "tell
her from me to keep her mouth closed, or else the story of Hugh
Wingfield shall be known, You will recollect the name, won't you?--Hugh
Wingfield."
I stood silent, unable to respond, for that was the name of the young
man who was so foully done to death in that hollow behind the beech
avenue.
"Moreover," she went on, noticing the effect of her words upon me,
"moreover, you are at liberty to tell George what you like concerning
me. He loves me--and when a man's in love he believes no evil of the
woman. So go!" she laughed. "And afterwards tell me what he says. I
shall be so very interested to know."