"He cannot know me," she said, calmly; "he is mistaken. I have never seen him before."
"He must be either very dull or foolish to mistake you, my darling, for anyone else," said Earle. "I defy the whole world to show another face like yours. It is some one whom you have met and forgotten. Be kind, and give him some little acknowledgment, Doris. See, he is bowing again."
She raised her eyes to his face.
"Lady Studleigh returns no bows from strangers," she said, haughtily, and Earle felt himself rebuked.
At that moment Sir Harry Durham entered the box to pay his respects to the belle of the evening. Earle asked him eagerly if he knew the gentleman in the center box, who wore the white japonica?
"Know him!" said Sir Harry, laughingly; "yes, of course I do—every one knows him. That is Lord Charles Vivianne."
The familiar name fell upon her ears like a death-knell. Earle repeated in surprise:
"Lord Vivianne! I have heard of him often enough, though I never saw him before. I have surely heard some romantic story about some love affair."
"Earle," interrupted Lady Doris, "do you think Lady Linleigh looks tired?"
She merely asked the question, the first that came into her mind, to divert his attention. She succeeded perfectly—Sir Harry went to ask the countess if she were fatigued. Earle bent over Lady Doris' chair.