Susannah faced him suddenly.
"And you—what are you going to do?"
He laughed sadly.
"For once I can answer you. I shall marry Miss Trefusis."
They stood facing each other under a silver sconce, the pale light of its candles over their faces. Susannah leant against the panelled walls and lowered her eyes.
"For the money?" she said in a repressed voice.
"Miss Trefusis is one of the most charming ladies in London," answered the Earl; "but to you I can say it. Yes."
"For the second time!" Susannah spoke in the same tone. "I wonder you can dare."
"Oh, my dear!"—there was sadness in my lord's sweet weary voice—"you are a lady of sense, not so simple. How have I been living but on the prospects of a marriage such as this? With Miss Boyle I should have had to face God knows what—the Fleet maybe, or a post with the Prince at Bois-le-duc. As it is——"