"Yet Sarah is very unlike me," said Lady Roos.

"That only shows how deceptive appearances are, chuck, and how little we
ought to trust to them," observed Lord Roos.

"How can you suffer yourself to be thus duped, Elizabeth?" said Lady
Lake.

"Because her ladyship would rather believe me than you, Madam," rejoined
Lord Roos. "But she is _not_ duped."

"Heaven forgive him!" exclaimed Diego, aside.

"And supposing it were Gillian, how would the case be mended, as far as
you are concerned, Elizabeth?" said Lady Lake. "Are you not as much
injured by one as by the other?"

"It may be," replied her daughter, "but I am jealous only of the
Countess. I would kneel to any other woman, and thank her, who would
tear my husband from her embraces!"

"Weak fool! I disown you," exclaimed Lady Lake, angrily.

"What a wife!" cried Diego, apart. "His lordship is quite unworthy of
her. Now I should appreciate such devotion."

At this juncture there was a slight movement on the part of Lady
Exeter, and something like a sigh escaped her.

"She revives!" whispered Lady Lake to her daughter. "We shall soon learn
the truth. I will find a means to make her speak. Well, my lord," she
added aloud, and speaking in a sarcastic tone, "if you will have it so,
it is idle to dispute it. But what will the Countess say, when she
discovers your infidelity?"

On this a brisker movement took place on the couch, and a hand was
raised as if to snatch away the 'kerchief.

"We have her," whispered Lady Lake triumphantly to her daughter.
"Surely," she proceeded aloud, "the Countess will deeply resent the
transfer of your affections to her handmaiden."

Lord Roos saw the peril in which he stood. A moment more and Lady Lake
had gained her point, and the Countess betrayed herself.

"Lady Exeter will place little reliance on any representations you may
make, Madam," he said, giving particular significance to his words,
"except so far as they concern herself, and then she will take care to
refute them. As to the circumstance of Gillian Greenford visiting me,
fainting in my arms (from excess of timidity, poor girl!) and being
discovered by you and Lady Roos in that position, the Countess will
laugh at it when it comes to her knowledge--as why should she do
otherwise? But she will feel very differently when she finds that you
and your daughter insist that it was she herself, and not her
handmaiden, whom you beheld. Rely on it, Madam, Lady Exeter will