Then I return to London.
If I have your promise, Anne shall be set free from this accusation.
If you tamper in the meantime with her—for you may know where she is—I'll have her arrested at once."
"I will do nothing," he said in muffled tones.
"Swear! swear!" She placed her hands on his shoulders.
Giles stepped back to free himself.
"I will swear nothing," he said in icy tones. "I take my two days." So saying he opened the door, but not quickly enough to prevent her kissing him.
"You are mine! you are mine!" she exclaimed exultingly. "Let Anne have her liberty, her good name.
I have you.
You are mine!—mine!"
"On conditions," said Giles cruelly, and went away quickly. _____
CHAPTER XVI
THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS
Giles left
"The Merry Dancer" quite determined to deceive Olga if it were possible.
No faith should be kept with such a woman.
She had power, and she was using it unscrupulously for selfish ends.
Moreover, come what might, Giles could not bring himself to make her his wife.
He loved Anne too deeply for that.
And then he began to ask himself if he were not selfish also, seeing that he would not lose his own gratification to save the woman he loved.
Nevertheless, he could not contemplate giving up Anne with equanimity, and set his wits to work in order to circumvent the treacherous Olga.
In the first place he now felt certain that Anne was in the neighborhood, and, as he shrewdly suspected, in the Priory.
The discovery of the coin and the presence of Olga in the village made him certain on this point.
In some way or another she had got to know of Anne's whereabouts, and had come here to make capital of her knowledge.
If he consented to surrender Anne and make Olga his wife, she would probably assist Anne to escape, or else, as she asserted, clear her of complicity in the crime.
On the other hand, should he refuse, she would then tell the police where the unfortunate governess was to be found. It might be that Anne could save herself. But seeing that she had fled immediately after the murder, it would be difficult for her to exonerate herself.
Also, the reason she had then to take the guilt upon her own shoulders might again stand in the way of her now clearing her character.
Nothing was left but to marry Olga and so free Anne, or seek Anne himself.
Ware determined to adopt the latter course as the least repugnant to his feelings.
But Olga was no mean antagonist.
She loved Giles so much that she knew perfectly well that he did not love her, and this knowledge taught her to mistrust him.
As her passion was so great she was content to take him as a reluctant husband, in the belief that she, as his wife, would in time wean him from his earlier love.
But she was well aware that, even to save Anne, he would not give in without a struggle.
This being the case, she considered what he would do.
It struck her that he would see if he could get into the Priory, for from some words he had let fall she was convinced that he thought Anne was concealed therein.
Olga had her own opinion about that; but she had to do with his actions at present and not with her own thoughts.
For this reason she determined to watch him—to be in his company throughout the time of probation.
Thus it happened that before Giles could arrange his plans the next day—one of which entailed a neighborly visit to Franklin—Olga made her appearance at his house, and expressed a desire to see his picture gallery, of which she had heard much.
Her mother, she said, was coming over that afternoon to look at the house, which, as she had been told, was a model of what an English country-house should be.
Giles growled at this speech, being clever enough to see through the artifices of Mademoiselle Olga.
"The house is as old as the Tudors," he expostulated; "your mother should look at a more modern one."
"Oh, no," replied Olga sweetly. "I am sure she will be delighted with this one; it is so picturesque."
"I am afraid that I promised to pay a visit this afternoon."
"Ah, you must put it off, Mr. Ware.
When two ladies come to see you, you really cannot leave them alone."
"If the next day will do——"
"I don't think it will.
My mother and I leave the next day.
She is due in town to a reception at the Austrian Embassy."
Ware made other excuses, but Olga would listen to none of them.