“And have you not?” she said. “Tell me who it is, for I see there is some one.”
He bit his lip.
“Miss Chetwynde!” he said, under his breath.
Her bosom heaved, and the blood rushed to her face. She rose, and moved away from him. She could bear to talk of his marriage in the abstract, but when it came to the actual woman, she felt the steel driven home.
“That girl!” she said. “A girl from the wilds; a nobody; a vulgar parvenue!” Her hands were clinched to her side; her breath came fast; her blue eyes flashed like fire.
He stood looking at her under his knit brows in silence. What could he say? She laughed hysterically.
“I beg your pardon!” she said, bitterly. “It is scarcely respectful to speak of the future marchioness, the future Duchess of Belfayre, in such terms. Besides, she has so much money—what is it?—two millions? That atones for all. It would gild that beggar-woman in the street there! And she is beautiful, too! Yes; you have chosen well, but—oh, my God! it is hard to bear!” She sunk into a chair, and covered her face with her hands.
He went and knelt beside her, and touched her arm entreatingly. She sprung to her feet, and away from him.
“Don’t touch me!” she panted. “I could not bear that. I know it can not be helped—that you must do this thing—and I will not say a word: more, I will help you!” She drew herself up, and extended her arms. “Yes, I will help you! You shall have this girl and her two millions. You will save Belfayre; but, Trafford, you will be miserable! I know it! You will tire of her before you have lived with her a month. She will make you suffer agonies of wounded pride; you will be ashamed of her; you are ashamed of her now! But it must be! I know—I know! Don’t touch me; don’t come near me! I would rather die than let you see me cry, and I should be weak enough to cry if you said one word, laid so much as the tip of your finger upon me! Go!”
He stood looking at her for a moment, his face as white as hers. He even took a step toward her: but she put out her hand, with a gesture almost imperial, and he took up his hat and went.