The assurance she had given her odious suitor was strictly true, though it would have been better (she considered now) if she could have restrained herself from so giving it.
Afraid of him as the bright and delicate little creature was, her spirit swelled at the thought of his knowing it from her own lips.
But where was she to go?
Anywhere beyond his reach, was no reply to the question.

Somewhere must be thought of.

She determined to go to her guardian, and to go immediately.

The feeling she had imparted to Helena on the night of their first confidence, was so strong upon her--the feeling of not being safe from him, and of the solid walls of the old convent being powerless to keep out his ghostly following of her--that no reasoning of her own could calm her terrors.

The fascination of repulsion had been upon her so long, and now culminated so darkly, that she felt as if he had power to bind her by a spell.