Mercy's instinctive aversion to the old man increased tenfold, now that she was left alone with him.

She withdrew uneasily to the window, and looked out at the moonlight.
Had she committed herself to the fraud?
Hardly, yet.

She had committed herself to returning to England--nothing more.

There was no necessity, thus far, which forced her to present herself at Mablethorpe House, in Grace's place.

There was still time to reconsider her resolution--still time to write the account of the accident, as she had proposed, and to send it with the letter-case to Lady Janet Roy.