“Don’t, Rosamund, I beseech of you,” said Lady Ursula.
There was entreaty, almost anguish in her bright blue eyes. I paused, the words arrested on my lips.
Captain Valentine stared from one to another of us with a puzzled, amazed glance. Lady Ursula slipped her hand through his arm. She led him towards the door. They passed out together; the door was a little ajar, and I heard him murmur something. Her gentle caressing reply reached my ears:
“My love, there is not the smallest fear, she is only a very excitable, eccentric young person, but I shall soon get rid of her.”
Those words decided me. Lady Ursula was coming back. I had not a second to lose. I was determined that she should see how the excitable, eccentric young person could act. I opened the morocco case, took the ring out, and slipped it on my finger.
The moment she returned to her table I held up my hand, and let her see the glittering treasure. She gave a cry of sharp pain.
“Oh, Rosamund, you are not really going to be so cruel!”
“I am very sorry,” I answered, “but I must have my ring. This is not a case of cruelty. It is simply a case of my requiring my own property back. Under great pressure I lent it to you for a week. Now I must have it back. Good-bye.”
“But, Rosamund, Rosamund!” She caught hold of my dress. “I gave you thirty pounds for the ring last week. You found the money useful; you know you did.”
“Yes,” I said. I blushed as the memory of all that that money meant rushed over me. With some of that thirty pounds I had saved Jack and our family honour. The money had been undoubtedly useful, but I held the glittering ring on my finger, and I loved it better than gold.