"To make him jealous."
"Of a chimera?"
"No, my friend," said Lady Helen, smiling very strangely. "Of you! Remember, you have promised to revile me to him. That alone would fix a suspicious mind like his on you. But to make assurance doubly sure, I told him this afternoon that it hurt me very much to find that he had given you a poor opinion of me."
I sprang to my feet, aghast. "But look here—my girl," I cried. "This is a dangerous game you are playing."
"Are you afraid—are you then a coward?" she flashed.
"Hubbard is my oldest friend. You will make him hate me!" I protested.
"And you will refuse to risk that for his happiness and mine?" she asked. "Remember, he is my husband, and soured, twisted creature that he is, I love him!"
"Ah!" said I.
"I could have made you serve me in ignorance," she cried, "but I am incapable of playing you or any other—save him—a trick like that. However, say the word and the play ends—this instant. I have no claim upon you. I'll save you the trouble of telling me that. I am only a woman fellow-creature, and knight-errants are out of fashion now-a-days. Well—what is it to be?"