Your friends are strangers here.
I am Lady Janet's adopted daughter.
Do you think she will believe your friends?
She will believe me.
She will burn their letters if they write.
She will forbid the house to them if they come.
I shall be Mrs. Horace Holmcroft in a week's time.
Who can shake my position?
Who can injure Me?"
"Wait a little.
You forget the matron at the Refuge."
"Find her, if you can.
I never told you her name.
I never told you where the Refuge was."
"I will advertise your name, and find the matron in that way."
"Advertise in every newspaper in London.
Do you think I gave a stranger like you the name I really bore in the Refuge?
I gave you the name I assumed when I left England.
No such person as Mercy Merrick is known to the matron.
No such person is known to Mr. Holmcroft.
He saw me at the French cottage while you were senseless on the bed.
I had my gray cloak on; neither he nor any of them saw me in my nurse's dress.
Inquiries have been made about me on the Continent—and (I happen to know from the person who made them) with no result.
I am safe in your place; I am known by your name.
I am Grace Roseberry; and you are Mercy Merrick.
Disprove it, if you can!"
Summing up the unassailable security of her false position in those closing words, Mercy pointed significantly to the billiard-room door.
"You were hiding there, by your own confession," she said. "You know your way out by that door.
Will you leave the room?"
"I won't stir a step!"
Mercy walked to a side-table, and struck the bell placed on it.
At the same moment the billiard-room door opened.
Julian Gray appeared—returning from his unsuccessful search in the grounds.
He had barely crossed the threshold before the library door was thrown open next by the servant posted in the room.
The man drew back respectfully, and gave admission to Lady Janet Roy.
She was followed by Horace Holmcroft with his mother's wedding present to Mercy in his hand.
CHAPTER XX. THE POLICEMAN IN PLAIN CLOTHES.
JULIAN looked round the room, and stopped at the door which he had just opened.
His eyes rested first on Mercy, next on Grace.
The disturbed faces of both the women told him but too plainly that the disaster which he had dreaded had actually happened.
They had met without any third person to interfere between them.
To what extremities the hostile interview might have led it was impossible for him to guess.
In his aunt's presence he could only wait his opportunity of speaking to Mercy, and be ready to interpose if anything was ignorantly done which might give just cause of offense to Grace.
Lady Janet's course of action on entering the dining-room was in perfect harmony with Lady Janet's character.
Instantly discovering the intruder, she looked sharply at Mercy.
"What did I tell you?" she asked.
"Are you frightened?
No! not in the least frightened!
Wonderful!"
She turned to the servant.