"You shall, so
far as I can answer for it, pass as my cousin and Mr. Carton, and have
a free _entre_ here."
"Good," said Carrington, rising. "And now there is nothing more to be
said just at present."
"Pardon me; you have not told me why an intimacy with Mr. Dale is
essential to your purpose."
"Because I must watch his proceedings and intentions--in fact, know all
about him--in order to discover whether it will suit my interests best
to forward Eversleigh's plans with respect to Lady Verner, or to betray
them to Dale."
Miss Brewer looked at him with something like admiration. She thought
she understood him so perfectly now, that she need ask nothing farther.
So they parted with the understanding that she was to report fully on
Douglas Dale's visit, and Carrington was to call on Paulina on the day
succeeding it. When she was alone, Miss Brewer remembered that
Carrington had not explained why it was he felt certain Dale would not
form any intimacy with him as Victor Carrington. As he walked
homewards, Victor muttered to himself--
"Heavens, what a clever fool that woman is. Once more I have won, and
by boldness."
* * * * *
The feelings with which Douglas Dale prepared for his visit to Hilton
House on the day following that on which Victor Carrington had made
his full and candid explanation to Miss Brewer, were such as any
woman--the purest, the noblest, the best--might have been proud of
inspiring.
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