Ah, dear, I love you so! You would never repent it. I would make you
happy as a crowned king."

I stopped her.

"Say no more, Coralie! I am grieved and shocked that you should renew
the subject. I told you before I should never love any woman, save
Agatha Thesiger, were I to live forever."

"Nothing will ever induce you to change your mind?" she asked, slowly.

"No, nothing in the wide world."

She paused for a few minutes, then she quietly lifted her arm from the
chair.

"Has it ever struck you," she said, "it may be in my power to do you
deadly mischief?"

"I never thought you capable of such a thing, nor do I believe that it
is in your power."

"It is," she said; "you and your sister are both in my power. If you are
a wise man, you will take my terms and save yourself while there is
time. Of course, if I were Lady Trevelyan, my interests would be yours;
then, if I knew anything against your welfare, I should keep the secret
faithfully--ah! a thousand times more faithfully than if it concerned my
own life."

She looked earnestly at me.

"You hold no secrets of mine, Coralie. I have no secrets. Thank God, my
life is clear and open--a book any one may read. Supposing I had a
secret, I should not purchase the keeping of it by any such compromise
as you suggest. I detest all mysteries, Coralie--all underhand doings,
all deceit. Speak out and tell me, Coralie, what you mean."

"I shall speak out when the time comes. Once more, Cousin Edgar, be
reasonable; save yourself--save me."

She withdrew some steps from me, and looked at me with her whole soul in
her eyes.

"I will not hear another word, Coralie. I do not wish to offend you, or
to speak harshly to you; but this I do say--if ever you mention this, to
me, hateful subject, I will never voluntarily address you again--never
while I live."

She made no answer. She turned, with a dignified gesture, and quitted
the room.

I never gave one serious thought to her threats, looking upon them as
the angry words of an angry woman. They did not even remain upon my mind
or disturb my rest.

CHAPTER XI.

On the following day Lady Thesiger had arranged to come to Crown Anstey
with Agatha, for the purpose of choosing from some very choice
engravings that had been sent to me from London. I asked Sir John to
accompany them and stay at lunch. It was always a red-letter day to me
when my darling came to my house, and I remember this one--ah, me!--so
well. I