"You are disappointing me, Peter."
The pain in her eyes for a moment arrested his passion. He stood away from her, and grasped at his vanishing peace. Lady Mary perceived his effort, and appealed once more to the boy who had so suddenly leaped out of her knowledge.
"You will listen to me, Peter!" she urged.
He stood silently waiting to hear what she had to say. She spoke quickly, running from the breaking storm in his eyes:
"I am quite content to be the wife of Lord Wenderby. I have always liked him and admired him. Six months ago he asked me if I would help him to join us politically. I have used my influence to bring him over. This pledges me to work with him."
"Does it pledge you to be his wife?"
"That is understood."
"So Lord Wenderby has been bribed," Peter flashed.
He looked at her cold and hostile. His thwarted pride of possession in Lady Mary stirred a cruelty he had never known.