“I am more than satisfied, in one way,” replied Rachel, “and less in another.  I rather wish you had known something about me; it would have made it more natural for you to come to my assistance.  But never mind.  What were these immediate measures?”

“I took these rooms; I had spoken of taking them earlier in the week.”

“For me?”

“Yes, on the chance of your getting off.”

“But you did not say they were for me!”

“No; and I was vague in what I had said until then.  I had a daughter—­a widow—­whom I rather expected to arrive from abroad towards the end of the week.  But I was quite vague.”

“Because you thought I had no chance!”

“I had not heard your evidence.  The very afternoon I did hear it, and had no longer any doubt about the issue in my own mind, I also heard of this wreck.  The very thing!  I waited till next morning for the list of the saved; luckily there were plenty of them; and I picked out the name of a married woman travelling alone, and therefore very possibly a widow, from the number.  Then I went to the manager.  The daughter whom I expected had been wrecked, but she was saved, and would arrive that night.  As a matter of fact, the survivors were picked up by a passing North German Lloyd, and they did reach London on Saturday night.  Meanwhile I had impressed it upon the manager to keep the matter as quiet as possible, for many excellent reasons, which I need not go into now.”

“But the reason for so elaborate a pretence?”

And the keen, dark face was searched with a scrutiny worthy of itself.  Steel set his mouth in another visible resolution to tell the truth.

“I thought you might not be sorry to cease being Mrs. Minchin—­the Mrs. Minchin who had become so cruelly notorious through no fault of her own—­if only for a day or two, or a single night.  That was most easily to be effected by your arriving here minus possessions, and plus a very definite story of your own.”

“You made very sure of me!” said Rachel, dryly.

“I trusted to my own powers of persuasion, and it was said you had no friends.  I will confess,” added Steel, “that I hoped the report was true.”

“Did it follow that I could have no pride?”

“By no means; on the contrary, I knew that you were full of pride; it is, if I may venture to say so, one of your most salient characteristics.  Nothing was more noticeable at your trial; nothing finer have I ever seen!  But,” added Steel, suppressing a burst of enthusiasm that gained by the suppression, “but, madam, I hoped and prayed that you would have the sense to put your pride in the second place for once.”

“Well,” said Rachel, “and so far I have done so, Heaven knows!”

“And that is something,” rejoined Steel, impressively.  “Even if it ends at this—­even if you won’t hear me out—­it is something that you have had one night and one morning free from insult, discomfort, and annoyance.”