“There!”
And Rosa pointed to one of the doors, at which Beatrix Pendleton, in Sybil’s disguise, was just entering the room.
“No matter! See! she has taken another direction from this, and will not be near you, dear child; so be at rest,” said Lyon Berners soothingly.
“Oh! I am so glad! You don’t know how I fear that woman,” replied Rosa.
“But you did not use to do so!”
“No! not until to-night! To-night when I met her terrible eyes,” said Rosa.
“Come, come, dear! Cheer up,” smiled Mr. Berners, encouragingly, as he took her hand and led her to the order—“Forward four!”
The dance began, and Sybil heard no more; but she had heard enough to convince her, if she had not been convinced before, of her guest’s treachery and her husband’s enthrallment.
She went and sat down quietly in a remote corner, and “bided her time.” And waltz succeeded quadrille, and quadrille waltz. At the beginning of every new dance, some one would come up and ask for the honor of her hand, which she always politely refused—taking good care to speak in a low tone, and disguised voice. At length Captain Pendleton came up, and mistaking her for his sister, said:
“Sulking still, Trix?”