Part 40 (1/2)
Emil Correlli had been seated in the handsome library, reading a society novel, when his sister went out to make her call, leaving him as guard over their prisoner above.
He had been much pleased with the report which she brought him from Edith, namely, that she believed she was yielding, and would make her appearance at dinner; at the same time he did not allow himself for a moment to become so absorbed in his book as to forget that he was on the watch for the slightest movement above stairs.
He and Mrs. G.o.ddard had agreed that it would be wise not to make the girl a prisoner within her room, lest they antagonize her by so doing.
But while they appeared to leave her free to go out or come in, they intended to guard her none the less securely, and thus Monsieur Correlli kept watch and ward below.
He knew that Edith could not leave the house by the front door without his knowing it, and as he also knew that the back stairway door was locked on the outside, he had no fear that she would escape that way.
He, had not reckoned, however, upon the fact of an outsider entering by means of the area door and going upstairs, thus leaving that way available for Edith; and Giulia Fiorini had accomplished her purpose so cleverly and so noiselessly that no one save Edith dreamed of her presence in the house.
The two girls had carried on their conversation in such subdued tones that not a sound could be heard by any one below, and thus Emil Correlli was taken entirely by surprise when there came a gentle knock upon the half-open library door to interrupt his reading.
”Come in,” he called out, thinking it might be one of the servants.
But when the door was pushed wider, and a woman entered, bearing a child in her arms, the astonished man sprang to his feet, an angry oath leaping to his lips, and every atom of color fading out of his face.
”Giulia?” he exclaimed, under his breath.
”Papa! papa!” cried the child, clapping his little hands, as he struggled out of his mother's arms, and ran toward him.
He took no notice of the child, but frowningly demanded, as he faced the girl:
”How on earth did you ever get into this house?”
”By a door, of course,” laconically responded the intruder, but with crimson cheeks and blazing eyes, for the man's rude manner had aroused all her spirit.
”Well, and what do you want?” he cried, angrily; then, with a violent start, he added, nervously: ”Wait; sit down, and I will be back in a moment.”
It had occurred to him that if Giulia had been able to gain admittance to the house without his hearing her, Edith might find it just as easy to make her escape from it.
So, darting out of the room, he ran swiftly upstairs, to ascertain, as we have seen, if his captive was still safe.
We know the result, and how adroitly Edith allayed his suspicions; whereupon, wholly rea.s.sured regarding her, he returned to the library to settle, once for all, as he secretly resolved, with his discarded plaything.
”Well, Giulia,” he began, as he re-entered her presence, ”what has brought you here? what is your business with me?”
”I have come to ascertain if this is true, and what you have to say about it,” she answered, as she brought forth the newspaper which she had shown Edith, and pointed to the article relating to the wedding at Wyoming.
The man tried to smile indifferently, but his eyes wavered beneath her blazing glance.
”Well, what of it?” he at last questioned, a.s.suming a defiant air; ”what if it is true?”
”Is it true?” she persisted; ”have you really married that girl?”
”And what if I have?” he again questioned, evasively.
”I want the truth from your own lips--yes or no, Emil Correlli.”
”Well, then--yes,” he said, with a flash of anger.
”You own it--you dare own it to me, and--in the presence of your child?” almost shrieked the outraged woman.