"Helen, hold your bitter tongue," cried Mrs. Walker wrathfully.
"If you speak of Lesbia in that way, or dare to smirch her fair fame," said George very deliberately, "I shall make it my business to make things unpleasant all round."
"As how?" asked Lady Charvington, putting up her lorgnette.
"To-morrow I am to see Lord Charvington by appointment----"
"I was not aware that you knew my husband."
"I do not, but he wrote to me, and I am to see him."
"Ah!" drawled Lady Charvington coolly, "perhaps knowing that you love this wretched girl my husband intends to arrange that you shall marry her and take her out of the country."
The young man restrained his anger by a violent effort. "Perhaps you are correct, madam," he said in a thick voice and breathing hard. "But I shall also ask Lord Charvington how the cross came to be in his possession."
"No!" Lady Charvington shrieked and seemed much perturbed. "You must not do that."
"Madam," said George in a stately manner and following up his advantage, "I am the owner of that cross, which was given to me by Miss Hale. I was assaulted on the towing-path so that I might be robbed of it. As the thief did not find it on my person he burgled this cottage and took it from my room. I have every right to ask Lord Charvington how he became possessed of it."