The woman wore an elegant gray riding habit--gray seemed a favorite
with her. Her cheeks were as white as ever, and her lips as red. Her
bearing was perfectly composed, and she advanced, with the long riding
skirt thrown over her arm, walking with exquisite grace.
All this I could easily see. The glass door of the conservatory had
been left ajar in the hurry of our retreat, and from behind the
lemon-trees and flower-bushes, we could see into the apartment without
difficulty.
There was evidently little danger of our discovery. The new-comers had
plainly entered the house with no design to search it. Darke advanced
into the apartment; made the ladies a bow, which more than ever
convinced me that he had been familiar with good society; and requested
food for the lady. She had tasted none for many hours, and was faint.
He would not ask it for himself, inasmuch as he was an enemy.
He bowed again as he spoke, and was silent.
The young ladies had listened coldly. As he finished, they pointed to
the waiter, and without speaking, they left the apartment.
Darke was left alone with the woman in gray. She seemed to have
regarded ceremony as unnecessary. Going to the table, she had already
helped herself, and for some moments devoured, rather than ate, the
food before her.
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