considered her husband with pale-faced contempt.

"Judas!" she called him, flung away from his detaining arm, and
stood forth to confront that man in steel. "What seek ye here, my
lord - and in this guise?" was her angry challenge.

Ruthven's burning eyes fell away before her glance. He clanked
forward a step or two, flung out a mailed arm, and with a hand that
shook pointed to the Seigneur Davie, who stood blankly watching him.

"I seek yon man," he said gruffly. "Let him come forth."

"He is here by my will," she told him, her anger mounting. "And so
are not you - for which you shall be made to answer."

Then to Darnley, who sat hunched on the settle:

"What does this mean, sir?" she demanded.

"Why - how should I know? Why - why, nothing," he faltered foolishly.

"Pray God that you are right," said she, "for your own sake. And
you," she continued, addressing Ruthven again and waving a hand in
imperious dismissal, "be you gone, and wait until I send for you,
which I promise you shall be right soon."

If she divined some of the evil of their purpose, if any fear
assailed her, yet she betrayed nothing of it. She was finely
tempered steel.