He hoped to arrive at Angers before nightfall.

What, she wondered, shivering, would happen there?
What was he planning to do to her?
How would he punish her?
Brave as she was, she was a woman, with a woman's nerves; and fear and anticipation got upon them; and his silence--his silence which must mean a thing worse than words! And then on a sudden, piercing all, a new thought.

Was it possible that he had other letters?
If his bearing were consistent with anything, it was consistent with that.

Had he other genuine letters, or had he duplicate letters, so that he had lost nothing, but instead had gained the right to rack and torture her, to taunt and despise her?
That thought stung her into sudden self-betrayal.

They were riding along a broad dusty track which bordered a stone causey raised above the level of winter floods.