"I had occasion to look into Miss Delmaine's past life, madam. Pray tell me all you can about her."
"It was an infatuation on my son's part. He saw her at the theatre, where people made a great fuss about her on account of her beauty, though she was no actress. She had a fine house in St. John's Wood, at the expense of a young man of large means—whom she ruined, and who died soon after. My son became a frequent visitor at the house. There were Sunday dinners, and suppers after the theatre, and my son was always there, madly in love with Miss Delmaine. Whether she was more to him than an acquaintance in those days I cannot say. Certainly he had no quarrel with Sir Hubert Withernsea. But after that unhappy young man's death Kate Delmaine's influence upon my son wrecked his career. He left the Army when the Lanarkshire was ordered to Burmah, rather than leave her, and not daring to take her with him. I don't know what kind of life he lived after that, although I saw him from time to time; but I know he was under a cloud, and there were only a few of his father's old friends who were civil to him, and asked him to their houses."
"Did you know of Colonel Rannock's courtship of Lady Perivale, madam?"
"Yes, indeed. It was my earnest hope that he would succeed in it."
"Did you know the lady, and know of her likeness to Miss Delmaine?"
"No. I go very little into society. I am an old woman, and only like to see old friends. And you must understand that I never saw Miss Delmaine."
"Do you think your son was in love with Lady Perivale?"
"Yes, I believe he was. Or it may be that he only liked her because of her resemblance to that woman."
"And was he very angry when she refused him?"
"Yes, I know he was wounded—and even angry."