sleigh raised her eyebrows in well-bred surprise.

"Dear me! It is a lie, then? Now, I should have thought from all
accounts that it was so very likely to be true!"

Philip turned white with passion. Her sarcastic smile,--her mocking
glance,--irritated him almost beyond endurance.

"Permit me to ask you, Clara," continued Lord Winsleigh calmly, "if
you,--as you say, know nothing about Violet Vere, why did you go to the
Brilliant Theatre yesterday morning?"

She flashed an angry glance at him.

"Why? To secure a box for the new performance. Is there anything
wonderful in that?"

Her husband remained unmoved. "May I see the voucher for this box?" he
inquired.

"I've sent it to some friends," replied her ladyship haughtily. "Since
when have you decided to become an inquisitor, my lord?"

"Lady Winsleigh," said Philip suddenly and eagerly, "will you swear to
me that you have said or done nothing to make my Thelma leave me?"

"Oh, she _has_ left you, has she?" and Lady Clara smiled maliciously. "I
thought she would! Why don't you ask your dear friend, George Lorimer,
about her? He is madly in love with her, as everybody knows,--she is
probably the same with him!"

"Clara, Clara!" exclaimed Lord Winsleigh in accents of deep reproach.
"Shame on you! Shame!"

Her ladyship laughed amusedly. "Please don't be tragic!" she said; "it's
too ridiculous! Sir Philip has only himself to blame. Of course, Thelma
knows about his frequent visits to the Brilliant Theatre. I told her all
that Sir Francis said. Why should she be kept in the dark? I dare say
she doesn't mind--she's very fond of Mr. Lorimer!"

Errington felt as though he must choke with fury. He forgot the presence
of Lord Winsleigh--he forgot everything but his just indignation.

"My God!" he cried passionately. "You _dare_ to speak so!--_you_!"

"Yes I!" she returned coolly, measuring him with a glance. "I dare! What
have you to say against _me_?" She drew herself up imperiously.

Then turning to her husband, she said, "Have the goodness to take your
excited friend away, my lord! I am going out--I have a great many
engagements this morning--and I really cannot stop to discuss this
absurd affair any longer! It isn't my fault that Sir Philip's excessive
admiration for Miss Vere has become the subject of gossip--_I_ don't
blame him for it! He seems extremely ill-tempered about it; after all,
_'ce n'est que la verite qui blesse!'_"

And she smiled maliciously.