But he could see that she trembled with impatience. She had clasped her hands so tightly that the rings she wore made great dents in the tender flesh; still she would not betray her impatience.
"Your father is a nobleman, a wealthy British peer—Earl Linleigh—and you are his only child."
She grew white, even to the lips, and her breath came in quick gasps.
"Earl of Linleigh?" she repeated. "Are you quite sure you are not mistaken, Earle?"
"There is no mistake, Doris; your name and title is now Lady Doris Studleigh. Do you like it? Does it sound well?"
She drew her breath with a deep, heavy sigh.
"I cannot believe it, Earle," she said, "it seems quite impossible that it should be true. It is what I used to dream when a child, but I never thought the dream would be realized. I cannot believe it, Earle."
It was significant enough that she refused to believe him when she fancied that he wished to lower her in the social scale; but she never expressed the slightest doubt of his truth now, nor did even the faintest doubt occur to her. After the first emotion of surprise had passed, she looked at him again.
"My mother?" she said—"you have told me nothing about her. Who is she?"
"I have nothing to tell," he said; "I have nothing to say about her. I was commissioned simply to tell you this. I may add that your father's marriage was a private one, that he was for many years in India, and is now returning home to take possession of his estates."