from the very first, not intended to marry her? Was he only--amusing
himself?

Her face was dyed, with the shame of the thought, for a moment, then the
hot flush went and left her pale and wan.

Drake was the Earl of Angleford, and she--she the girl whose heart he
had broken, was in his house, looking on at him among his guests! The
thought was almost unendurable, and she slowly rose from her chair; then
she sat down again, for she was trembling and quite incapable of leaving
the gallery.

How long she sat in this state she did not know. The ball went on. She
saw Drake--no, the earl--would she never realize it?--dancing
frequently. Sometimes he joined the group of dowagers and chaperons on
the dais at the other end of the room, or leaned against the wall and
talked with the nondancing men; and wherever he went she saw that he was
received with that subtle empressement with which the children of Vanity
Fair indicate their respect for high rank and wealth.

"You can see how high his lordship stands not only in the county, but
everywhere," said Mrs. Hawksley proudly. "They treat him almost as if he
were a prince of the blood; and he is the principal gentleman here,
though there's some high and mighty ones down there, Miss Lorton, I
assure you. That's the Duchess of Cleavemere in that big chair on the
dais; and that's her eldest daughter--she'll be as big as the duchess,
mark my words--seated beside her; and that's the Marquis of Downfield,
that tall gentleman with the white hair. He's a great man, but he can't
hold a candle, in appearance, to our earl; and he's a poor man compared
with his lordship. And that's Lord Turfleigh, that old gentleman with
the very black hair and mustache; dyed, of course, my dear. The 'wicked
Lord Turfleigh' they call him--and no wonder. He's the father of Lady
Luce. Ah! his lordship's going to dance with her again! Look how pleased
her father looks. See, he's nodding and smiling at her; I'll be bound I
know what he's thinking of! And I shouldn't be surprised if it came off.
Lord Selbie and she used to be engaged, but it was broken off when his
lordship's uncle married. The Turfleighs are too poor to risk a marriage
without money. But his lordship's the earl now, and, of course----"

Nell understood. It was because the woman he loved had jilted him that
Drake had hidden himself from the world at Shorne Mills. That was why he
had looked so sad and cast down the day she had first seen him.