She rose hurriedly from her seat. He saw that her lips quivered and her hands trembled; she was agitated and confused.
"Give me time," she said. "You frighten me. I can hardly understand. I must go now; they will think that I am lost."
He rose with her, and stood by her side.
"You will keep the ring, Doris, for my sake, in memory of the time when I first saw you?"
"I will keep it," she replied, hastily. "Oh, Lord Vivianne, let me go; I am frightened—this is so different to being with Earle. Let me go."
"You will meet me again," he urged, "say on Friday—you will not refuse—at this same time and same place? I will lavish the luxury of the whole world on you, if you will only care for me."
But now that her ambition was satisfied, was realized, she was frightened at her own success, and hastened away.
CHAPTER XXV.
THE FALSE LIPS OF WOMAN.
Earle was not the only one who found Doris changed. She had hastened home from that interview almost wild with excitement. Could it be that the wildest dream of her life was realized at last; that this handsome lord had offered her every luxury in the world; it seemed too bright a vision to be real; she was obliged to look again at the diamond on her finger to convince herself of its truth.