Part 12 (1/2)
”Finding them _out_, you mean,” I retorted, slowly and significantly.
”Will you leave me to do this now, or will you tell me frankly?”
”There is no new plan.”
”You will find it not only useless but unsafe to attempt to deceive me.
I know already much of the new plan and within a few hours shall know all.” She had been already so impressed by the discoveries I had made that she was quite prepared to believe this bluff; and she was so nervous and agitated that she would not trust herself to speak.
I paused some moments and then said with impressive deliberation:
”Henriette, our relative positions here are changing fast. I came here that you might help me to push my fortunes. I know so much and am so much better and stronger a player than you, that either I shall leave you altogether to carry my knowledge to those who need it badly, or I shall stay to protect you and your fortunes from the man who is threatening both. Think of that while I go upstairs to my room; and think closely, for your future--ruin or success--is the stake at issue; and one false step may cost you everything.”
”You mean to threaten me?” she cried, half nervously, half in bravado.
”It is more an offer of help than a threat; but you can regard it as you please;” and I went out of the room.
I ran up hastily to my room full of a new idea which had just occurred to me; but fortunately not so preoccupied as to keep my eyes shut. As I pa.s.sed Madame d'Artelle's room the door was not quite closed, and through the narrow slit I caught a glimpse of Ernestine. She was vigorously dusting some object that was out of my line of sight.
I am accustomed to study trifles; they often act as finger posts at the forked roads of difficulty and point the proper way. Ernestine was a very particular lady's maid indeed, and never dreamt of dusting out rooms. Why then was she so busy?
I paused and managed to get a peep at the object of her unusual industry. It was a travelling trunk; large enough to hold a big suggestion for me. I pushed the door open.
”Good-morning, Ernestine. I've come back, you see,” I said, smiling.
”Ah, good-morning, Mademoiselle Gilmore. I am glad to see you.”
Ernestine was very friendly to me. I had bought her goodwill.
”Madame and I have been talking over our arrangements,” I said, lightly. ”It is all rather sudden. Do you think you will have time to alter that black silk bodice for me before we start?”
”I'm afraid not, mademoiselle. You see every thing has to be packed.”
”Of course it has. If I had thought of it, I would have left it out for you before I went, the day before yesterday.”
”If I had known I would have asked you for it, mademoiselle. But I had not a hint until this morning.”
”Come up and see if we cannot contrive something. A bertha of old lace might do for the time.”
I did not wish Madame to catch me in her room, so Ernestine and I went on to mine. We talked dress for a couple of minutes and, as I wished her not to speak of the conversation, I said that as the alteration could not be made, I might as well give her the dress. It was nearly new, and delighted her.
”I suppose you'll be ready in time? You are such a clever packer. But the time is short.”
She repudiated the suggestion of being behind. ”I have all to-day and part of to-morrow. I could pack for you as well,” she cried, with a sweep of her hand round the room.
”Never mind about that. I may not go yet.”
”Oh no, of course not;” and she laughed archly. ”They will not want Mademoiselle la Troisieme.”
”_Mechante_,” I cried, dismissing her with a laugh, as though I fully understood the joke. And in truth she had given me a clue which was very cheap at the price of a silk dress.
Instinct had warned me of the change in the position, and now I began to understand what the new plan was. Madame had made her avowal about not marrying Karl much too clumsily; and the dusting of that travelling trunk, coupled with Ernestine's sly reference to ”Mademoiselle la Troisieme,” was too clear to be misunderstood. They meant to hoodwink me by an apparent abandonment of the marriage; and then make it clandestinely.