“She was an actress,” he interrupted, quietly.
“How do you know?”
“My dear lady! It is so simple! The fly was the only one there, or you would not have seen her so plainly; it was at the side entrance; she was unknown to you. Oh, plainly it was an actress. And it was she who was with Lord Cecil this morning.”
“Then you have seen her?” she exclaimed, eagerly.
He shook his head.
“No,” he said, “only heard her. I met our dear Cecil in the woods. As I approached, I heard two voices, though he, of course, denied it. One was a woman’s, and, though I am not in the habit of laying wagers with ladies—for they never pay when they lose—I would bet something considerable that the voice belonged to the young lady whom you saw talking to Lord Cecil outside the theatre last night!”
She bit her lip, and the look came into her eyes which indicates the first approach of the green-eyed monster—jealousy.
“Some worthless actress, painted and powdered. Some woman old enough to be his mother, though made up as a girl——”
He shook his head and laughed with serene enjoyment.
“No, no; such an experienced bird as Lord Cecil is not to be caught with such chaff, my dear lady! Depend upon it, this girl is young and pretty.”