下载辰思小说免费APP
“’Mabel，cometomeatoncewiththebearer。Theytellmethattheycannottakemehome。’Itlookslikemyownwriting。“
“Lookslikeit！ItISyourwriting。“
“Itlookslikeit——andwrittenwithashakypen。“
“Mydearchild，one’shandwouldshakeatsuchamomentasthat。“
“Mabel，wheredidyougetthis？“
“ItwasbroughttomeinCaneandWilson’s。“
“Whobroughtit？“
“Whobroughtit？Why，themanyousent。“
“ThemanIsent！“Alightburstupontheduke’sbrain。Hefellbackapace。“It’sthedecoy！“
Hergraceechoedthewords:
“Thedecoy？“
“Thescoundrel！Tosetatrapwithsuchabait！Mypoorinnocentdarling，didyouthinkitcamefromme？Tellme，Mabel，wheredidhecutoffyourhair？“
“Cutoffmyhair？“
Hergraceputherhandtoherheadasiftomakesurethatherhairwasthere。
“Wheredidhetakeyouto？“
“HetookmetoDraper’sBuildings。“
“Draper’sBuildings？“
“IhaveneverbeenintheCitybefore，buthetoldmeitwasDraper’sBuildings。Isn’tthatneartheStockExchange？“
“NeartheStockExchange？“
Itseemedratheracuriousplacetowhichtotakeakidnapedvictim。Theman’saudacity！
“HetoldmethatyouwerecomingoutoftheStockExchangewhenavanknockedyouover。HesaidthathethoughtitwasaPickford’svan——wasitaPickford’svan？“
“No，itwasnotaPickford’svan。Mabel，wereyouinDraper’sBuildingswhenyouwrotethatletter？“
“Wrotewhatletter？“
“Haveyouforgottenitalready？IdonotbelievethatthereisawordinitwhichwillnotbebrandedonmybrainuntilIdie。“
“Hereward！Whatdoyoumean？“
“Surelyyoucannothavewrittenmesuchaletterasthat，andthenhaveforgottenitalready？“
Hehandedhertheletterwhichhadarrivedinthesecondcommunication。Sheglancedatit，askance。Thenshetookitwithalittlegasp。
“Hereward，ifyoudon’tmind，IthinkI’lltakeachair。“Shetookachair。“Whatever——whatever’sthis？“Asshereadtheletterthevaryingexpressionswhichpassedacrossherfacewere，inthemselves，astudyinpsychology。“Isitpossiblethatyoucanimaginethat，underanyconceivablecircumstances，Icouldhavewrittensuchaletterasthis？“
“Mabel！“
Sherosetoherfeetwithemphasis。
“Hereward，don’tsaythatyouthoughtthiscamefromme！“
“Notfromyou？“HerememberedKnowles’sdiplomaticreceptionoftheepistleonitsfirstappearance。“Isupposethatyouwillsaynextthatthisisnotalockofyourhair？“
“Mydearchild，whatbeehaveyougotinyourbonnet？Thisalockofmyhair！Why，it’snotintheleastbitlikemyhair！“
Whichwascertainlyinaccurate。Asfarascolorwasconcerneditwasanalmostperfectmatch。TheduketurnedtoMr。Dacre。
“Ivor，I’vehadtogothroughagooddealthisafternoon。IfI
havetogothroughmuchmore，somethingwillcrack！“Hetouchedhisforehead。“Ithinkit’smyturntotakeachair。“Nottheonewhichtheduchesshadvacated，butonewhichfacedit。Hestretchedouthislegsinfrontofhim；hethrusthishandsintohistrouserspockets；hesaid，inatonewhichwasnotgloomybutabsolutelygrewsome:
“MightIask，Mabel，ifyouhavebeenkidnaped？“
“Kidnaped？“
“ThewordIusedwas’kidnaped。’ButIwillspellitifyoulike。
OrIwillgetadictionary，thatyoumayseeitsmeaning。“
Theduchesslookedasifshewasbeginningtobenotquitesureifshewasawakeorsleeping。SheturnedtoIvor。
“Mr。Dacre，hastheaccidentaffectedHereward’sbrain？“
Theduketookthewordsoutofhiscousin’smouth。
“Onthatpoint，mydear，letmeeaseyourmind。Idon’tknowifyouareundertheimpressionthatIshouldbethesameshapeafteraPickford’svanhadrunovermeasIwasbefore；but，inanycase，IhavenotbeenrunoverbyaPickford’svan。SofarasIamconcerne
后续内容为VIP可读请开通VIP，或购买此章节
