"In my dread I confided in Diana--"
"And she--went with you," said I hoarsely, "in--Danby's chaise!"
"Yes. When Sir Geoffrey saw Diana she seemed to fascinate him--he
refused to give up my letters--said he could not part with them. In
this way he tortured me for weeks until at last he wrote from Raydon
Manor, saying I should have the letters if I would call for them in
person, but it must be at ten o'clock at night--and Diana must go with
me. So we went--there were other men there--they had been drinking.
When we entered the room, Captain Danby locked the door--I nearly
swooned with horror--"
"Ah, my God!" exclaimed Anthony.
"But then--O Peregrine--before any one could move or prevent--Diana
sprang upon Sir Geoffrey--I saw the flash of steel, and he lay back
helpless in his chair, staring up at her--not daring to move, her
dagger pricking his throat--yes--I saw the blood! 'Sir Geoffrey,' said
she in an awful, whispering voice, 'give up the letters and order them
to open the door, or I will surely kill you'--and I saw him flinch as
the dagger bit deeper. But he laughed and obeyed her, and so with the
letters in my hand, Diana led me out of the room and none offered to
hinder us. We had been admitted at the door that gave into the wood
and we had just opened it when some one among the trees groaned, and
afraid of being seen, we locked the door and ran back to the house and
asked Sir Geoffrey for a carriage.
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