"You are suffering." Julie made an uncertain step forward. "You ought to be in bed."
"That has nothing to do with it. What was your object to-night?"
"I wished to see the Duchess--"
"It is not worth while to prevaricate. The Duchess was not your first visitor."
Julie flushed.
"Captain Warkworth arrived first; that was a mere chance."
"It was to see him that you risked the whole affair. You have used my house for your own intrigues."
Julie felt herself physically wavering under the lash of these sentences. But with a great effort she walked towards the fireplace, recovered her gloves and handkerchief, which were on the mantel-piece, and then turned slowly to Lady Henry.
"I have done nothing in your service that I am ashamed of. On the contrary, I have borne what no one else would have borne. I have devoted myself to you and your interests, and you have trampled upon and tortured me. For you I have been merely a servant, and an inferior--"
Lady Henry nodded grimly.