Kathleen, for her part, had spent the time in trying to account for Westerham's presence in Downing Street. Presumably he was about to make some further effort to persuade her father of his _bona fides_. And she grew more unhappy as she thought what her father's answer would again inevitably be, and could only pray that Westerham might have sufficient forbearance to persevere in spite of the Premier's certain rudeness.
Presently Kathleen, watching from the window, saw the familiar shape of the Star and Garter come into view. Slightly to her surprise the motor-car did not slacken its speed, but went on through the gates of Richmond Park. Then, almost for the first time, she spoke to her companion.
“The man must have made a mistake,” she said; “he has passed the hotel.”
“Has he?” asked Madame, with an air of astonishment. “That is rather strange. He must know the way. Perhaps there is something wrong with the machinery.”
But Lady Kathleen shook her head, for she knew enough of motoring to appreciate the steady purr of an engine which is running well.
Suddenly the brakes were applied with considerable force and the car came to a rapid standstill.
Then the door swung open and a man leaped in.
Almost instantly he pulled up the blind shutters which covered the glass and shut out all the light, so that the interior of the car was in complete darkness.
Kathleen gave a little cry and shrank back against the cushions. For in the darkness she felt the car give a great bound onwards and rush down the hill.
She heard a low laugh, and then the scraping of a hand as it fumbled for the electric button.
The hand groping in the darkness found the switch and flooded the car with light.
Kathleen sat bolt upright and uttered a second cry as she saw grinning at her from the opposite side of the car the evil face of Melun.
For a while Kathleen was too bewildered to say anything, but soon one ugly fact stood out hard and convincing. She had been betrayed.
Slowly she gathered all her mental resources together and slowly she looked from Melun to Marie Estelle and back to Melun.
During the past few weeks she had learned to expect infamy and even treachery, but she had not looked for any action so villainous as this.