No sooner was she in her husband's room than Sepia hastened to
unlock Mary's door; but, just as she did so, she heard some one
on the stair above, and retreated without going in. She would
then have turned the key again, but now she heard steps on the
stair below, and once more withdrew.
Mary heard a knock at her door. Mewks entered. He brought a
request from his master that she would go to his room.
She rose and went, taking her bag with her.
"You may go now, Mrs. Redmain," said her husband when Mary
entered. "Get out, Mewks," he added; and both lady and valet
disappeared.
"So!" he said, with a grin of pleasure. "Here's a pretty
business! You may sit down, though. You haven't got the ring in
that bag there?"
"Nor anywhere else, sir," answered Mary. "Shall I shake it out on
the floor?--or on the sofa would be better."
"Nonsense! You don't imagine me such a fool as to suppose, if you
had it, you would carry it about in your bag!"
"You don't believe I have it, sir--do you?" she returned, in a
tone of appeal.
"How am I to know what to believe? There is something dubious
about you--you have yourself all but admitted that: how am I to
know that robbery mayn't be your little dodge? All that rubbish
you talked down at Lychford about honesty, and taking no wages,
and loving your mistress, and all that rot, looks devilish like
something off the square! That ring, now, the stone of it alone,
is worth seven hundred pounds: one might let pretty good wages go
for a chance like that!"
Mary looked him in the face, and made him no answer.
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