“Well,” he said, “it is mere gossip, of course, but gossip awarded the great prize of the season to a near and dear friend of yours.”
Una’s heart beat fast. She guessed what was coming.
“Tell me,” she said, in a low voice.
“Tut!” said Stephen, as if ashamed to retail such idle gossip.
“Well, they said that Jack meant to marry the great heiress.”
“It is not true,” Una said; but her color went, and left her quite pale and cold.
“Of course not,” said Stephen, cheerfully; “though I would not say but there was some excuse for the rumor. Jack was a great deal at Park Lane until he met—one who shall be nameless.” And he looked up at her with a smile. “Why, they went so far as to congratulate him,” he said, laughing as if at an excellent joke. “And indeed I think if Jack had said ‘Yes,’ Lady Bell would not have said ‘No.’ So, you see, that you have made a veritable conquest!”
And he laughed again.
But there was no answering smile on Una’s pale face. It was not of Lady Bell she thought, but of herself and Jack.
It was true she had stepped in between Jack and wealth and prosperity—she, the penniless daughter of a woodman, had prevented his marrying the great heiress and becoming the master of Earl’s Court and all the Earlsley wealth! A chill passed over her, and she raised the screen to hide her face from Stephen’s eye.