"Before you speak, Boris," she said, "I also have something to say. How long do you intend to keep me here? I ask this, not for my own sake, but for my brother's." "That," said Boris, with a malicious grin, "depends entirely on yourself." "By this time, of course," Natalie continued, "a great hue-and-cry will have been raised after me. Again I ask this question for my brother's sake. He should be informed of my whereabouts at once; for you must remember that he will take this very much to heart." "He will not be informed of your whereabouts at present," said Boris, shortly. "Because," he continued, with a villainous leer, "I am only cruel to be kind. I want to have all the details of our marriage settled as soon as possible. A night of waiting will soften your dear brother's heart, and he will probably listen to reason in the morning." Natalie shuddered and drew a little further away from Boris. "You coward," she said, and looked at him with infinite contempt. Again a dangerous light leapt into his eyes. "Have a care," he cried, "what names you call me here. I do not wish to be compelled to make you feel your position. But if necessary I shall--" Natalie did not take her scornful eyes from his face, and Boris at last looked shiftily away. As he apparently did not intend to speak again, she put to him another question: "Who is the woman," she asked, "you have here with you?" "That is no business of yours," snarled Boris, "though you can, if you wish to speak to or allude to her, call her Madame Estelle, as I introduced her to you." "I merely asked," said Natalie, "because I was curious to know how she came to be associated with a rascal like you." "Ah! my dear cousin, that is something you will understand better a little later." He said this with an insinuating air which filled Natalie with loathing. "Boris," she said coldly, "I decline altogether to allow you to insult me." She turned her back on him, and Boris swore at her without disguise. But she paid no heed. Presently he walked round the room so that he could come face to face with her. "It is early," he said, "but early hours will do you good. If you will be so kind as to accompany me I will show you to your room." He led the way up three flights of stairs till they came to a small landing. Out of this there opened only one door, and through this Boris passed. Natalie now found herself in a large, square room, simply and yet fairly well furnished, partly as a bedroom and partly as a sitting-room. "It is here," said Boris, "that I am unfortunately compelled to ask you to make your decision. "You are at perfect liberty to scream to your heart's content. There is no one here who will mind in the least. You are also at perfect liberty to make what efforts at escape you choose. I fear that you will only find them futile."