Page:Marsh--The seen and the unseen.djvu/342

318 he married me, and I was such a fool that I thought that if I was once the Duchess of Staines everything would be all right He made no settlement on me, As for money, I haven't had it. He told me that if I sent any of my bills to him he'd thrash me within an inch of my life. And he'd do it too, especially if he had been drinking. He's never introduced me to a respectable woman. He had detectives to watch me"

"I know, Polly. I've heard some of it before and I'll hear the rest when we're in the train."

"Look here, Dick Datchet, I've been an honest woman up till now, and although I'm goings to run away with you, I mean to be an honest woman still. You put it down in black and white, that you promise to marry me the very first moment you can."

"What would be the good of that? Such a promise wouldn't be valid. I can't promise to marry a woman who's married already. Besides, don't you love me enough to trust me? Come here, Polly."

Although she could not actually see that it was so, Miss Paynter knew that the Earl of Datchet had taken the Duchess of Staines into his arms.

"Don't you love me?"

"Yes." There was the sound of a kiss. "You know that I do."

"Then you may trust me to see you through it all." The woman drew another long deep breath, but she said nothing.

"Hadn't you better go and get ready?"

"No," said Miss Paynter, as she passed through the window. "I wouldn't if I were you."

The Earl of Datchet was leaning against the table.