Lady Doris was sitting near him, so that she distinctly heard the question and answer.
"Lord Vivianne!" replied the earl. "I do not even know him."
"I had forgotten," said his questioner, "how long you have been absent from England; of course you would not know him."
"It seems to me," said the earl, laughing, "that a whole generation of young men have come into fashion since I left the country. I do not recollect having ever seen Lord Vivianne. Why do you ask me?"
"I heard him say how anxious he was to be introduced to you," replied Lord Charter.
"I shall be very happy," replied the earl, indifferently.
She had listened at the very first sound of that name which she had grown to hate so cordially; all her attention had been fully aroused.
"Now for the Studleigh courage," she said to herself, and she listened. The color did not fade from her beautiful face; her lips never lost their smile, nor her eyes their light.
When Lord Charter had finished his conversation with the earl, she turned to him in the most winning manner.
"Vivianne, did you say? What a pretty name! Is it English?"