"I'm not running after Mrs. Veilsturm," said her nephew angrily, "and I've not left my wife. I'm simply up in Town for a spell, and have called once or twice to see a very pleasant woman."
"A very pleasant woman, indeed," sneered Aunt Jelly scornfully.
"If you think so badly of her, I wonder you let your ward go near her."
"I don't know anything against the woman's character," replied Miss Corbin, "so there's no reason I should keep Victoria away. I daresay she's as bad as the rest of them, and conceals it better. But that's nothing to do with my question. It has come to my ears that you are paying marked attentions to Mrs. Veilsturm, and I want to know if it is true."
"No, it is not true?" answered Errington slowly. "I have been a great deal with Mrs. Veilsturm since I came up to Town, but that was simply because she asked me to visit her, and without being absolutely rude, I could not refuse."
"A very nice explanation," said his aunt disbelievingly, "but do you think it is one your wife will accept?"
"My wife knows nothing about my visits to Mrs. Veilsturm."
"Indeed she does," replied Aunt Jelly coolly. "I wrote and told her all about them."
Guy's face grew as pale as that of a corpse, and he stared at Miss Corbin as if he had been turned into stone. At length, with an effort, he arose to his feet and repeated her answer in a harsh, strained voice.
"You wrote and told her all about them?"