They belonged to a brilliant society belle, Miss Josephine Holt, who had long entertained a secret affection for Ray.
She also knew Mona, having met her in society earlier in the season, and had been jealous of the young man's attentions to her.
She wondered at finding her there at Hazeldean, for she knew of her loss of fortune. She slipped out of sight into a dressing-room as Mona came up stairs, and, finding Miss Merrill there, asked her, in an indifferent tone, as Mona passed the door, who the young lady was.
"Oh, that is Ruth Richards—Mrs. Montague's waiting-maid," was the reply.
A smile of scorn leaped to Miss Holt's proud lips as she heard the name.
"Ruth Richards," she repeated to herself. "So this is how she disappeared so suddenly out of the knowledge of everybody. A common waiting-maid, and too proud to sail under her own name! I wonder if she is a relative of Mrs. Montague? If she is, perhaps that lady objected to having it known, and so called her Ruth Richards. Can it be possible that Ray Palmer is attentive to her now? Does he know that she is sailing under false colors? I think I will look into this state of affairs a little!"
The young lady donned her wraps and took her departure from Hazeldean, but with an angry frown upon her brow, for her enjoyments of the evening had been entirely spoiled by the little scene which she had just witnessed.
After Ray left Mona he drew his outside coat on over his evening dress and went out into the grounds for a quiet smoke and to think, for he felt troubled and nervous.
His father's flush and embarrassment, as he caught his eye while passing through the drawing-room, were a revelation to him.
Mona had spoken to him of his attentions to Mrs. Montague, and he had also observed them, since coming to Hazeldean, but he had hoped that they were only temporary, and would not amount to anything serious.