“Victoria! Do you refuse to do your duty to society and to your parents?”
Victoria was mildly annoyed.
“There, now you are going to be sentimental!” she protested.
The marchioness rose to her feet in real anger.
“You shameful, depraved, ungrateful child! You wish to break your mother’s heart!”
Victoria darted a strange look at her mother, which the marchioness was unable to meet. Then she observed, quietly:
“Don’t you think the less we say about hearts the better, mamma?”
The marchioness was opening her lips to reply, when her face suddenly changed, a beautiful smile replacing the angry frown. Hammond had just entered the gallery.
SCENE XI
“AND WILL SHORTLY TAKE PLACE”
It is generally the first impulse of a man who has been rejected by the woman he loves to offer himself to the woman who loves him. When the sun has set the light of the moon becomes precious.