“Between a Stuart and a beautiful woman? P’sha! And what grounds have you for questioning it?”
“I’ve told you one. Take it from me—and I had the confession from Kate’s own lips—she’s as jealous of you and Kit as ever you can be of Kit and her.”
The shaft went somewhat home. Chesterfield stood glowering and gnawing his finger.
“Then who the devil is Kit?” he said suddenly.
“Ah!” replied Hamilton. “Who? We are all the gulls, I sometimes think, of that little scheming hussy, your wife’s friend. But do you mean to say she actually went so far as to assert that the Duke’s visit was due to Kit?”
Chesterfield reflected, still devouring his finger.
“Well, now I come to think on’t, she didn’t explicitly, in so many words, say as much.”
“Perhaps she didn’t mention Kit at all?”
“O, yes, she did! But——”
“But what?”