She had stood like a culprit, awaiting the sentence and at Hawthorne's words, one could almost see the load falling off Mary. Her face lit up in real gratitude.
"I can't thank you enough. And if we get through this, I owe you all an explanation. But first, we need to get out."
She pointed to the still open trap door above the altar. "I believe, this could be our escape route. We need something to get up there - a rope, a ladder, whatever. If the soldiers follow the standard routine - and they always do! - we have between five and ten minutes until they get here. I suggest we start searching the room for something that can help us!"
She looked back at Hawthorne, who had just finished changing his shoes. For a split second she looked confused from him to his abandoned shoes on the floor - when suddenly she remembered something and smiled, understanding.
"My dear Lord Hawthorne - you're brilliant!"
Then she added, somewhat hesitantly "I need a word..."
Not really waiting for his answer, she stepped closer and spoke very softly. "There is something, I need you to do for me, in the event of... well, should we get separated. It is very important to me." She looked into his eyes. "In my cabin on the Marigold, there is a mahogany box under the bed - the contents of which should be quite interesting to your engineers back in London I believe. I can't help, if that somehow finds its way there, if you get my meaning. But... " her voice got more urgent "there is an envelope in that box as well.
It contains my Last Will and Testament. And consequently - my real identity. Which, at the current state, is only known to two people apart from myself. I would like it to stay that way and that is why I ask you, in case we get separated and I can't get back to the Marigold myself, to retrieve that envelope and keep it, unopened, until I come to collect it myself. You see - I only want to protect my family, I'm sure you can understand that.
Will you do that for me? Please?"