Her Ladyship partially opened the door.
"It's I," she said.
"Lady Isabelle!" exclaimed Miss Fitzgerald, in unfeigned surprise, rising to receive her visitor. "You're the last person I expected to see!"
"I must beg your pardon for intruding upon your privacy, but I felt I must come to you the first moment that I was able."
"Really?"
"I owe you an explanation, Miss Fitzgerald."
Belle looked at her proudly and coldly, with the air of an insulted queen. It was not often she had the chance to triumph over a lady of title, and she enjoyed it thoroughly.
"You owe me more than an explanation," she said, and indicating a chair for her guest, they both sat down.
"Of course, you're aware that Mr. Stanley cannot be engaged to me," Lady Isabelle began, after some hesitation, in which Belle gave her no help, for she knew this interview was her real punishment.
"I should hardly have supposed so," replied Miss Fitzgerald, and lapsed into silence.