"This duel between Mr. Markham and Captain Galton?" asked Miss Chressham, staring at the closely printed sheet.
"No, no! Below—look below."
Susannah obeyed, and read the following sentences:
"The next item from the Beau Monde has been Communicated to Us by a Lady of Fashion whose Authority is beyond Reproach. It concerns the Happy Advent of Miss S—l—a B——le of Bristol into Town. The Cause of her Coming, it seems, is not that She may be, as her Friends expected, united to her Cousin, Sir Fr——is B——le. This Match has been Broken off, owing to the Lady's Affection for a Noble Lord who is well known for his Success in Affairs of the Heart. His Lordship being so far Infatuated as to Request Miss S—l—a B——le in a Passionate Letter not to Marry her Cousin, she in a Reply equally Warm, gave the Desired Pledge, though it might have been supposed that His Lordship would allow the Lady the Liberty he had taken to Himself in making a Marriage of Convenience. The Friends of Miss S—l—a B——le and the Admirers of the Earl of L—dw——d Await with interest a Further Development of this Romance, the Course of which we Hope to be able to inform our Readers upon in a future Time."
Miss Chressham laid the paper down. Her eyes darkened and her cheeks blanched; she averted her glance from Selina Boyle.
"Well," she said unsteadily, "this is ugly malice; a pity you must notice it."
"But you understand that I cannot ignore it," breathed Miss Boyle entreatingly.
The other lady turned slowly and faced her.
"I do not know quite how much you mean me to understand," she said quietly, "nor why you should not take this paper to your father or Sir Francis."
"I cannot take it to them," answered Miss Boyle in a still way, "because what is said there is true."