“Very well, dear,” he answered, and gave her a quick look, but her face was turned away, and he uttered a faint sigh which failed to reach her ears.
Lady Ethel had followed more slowly, and she did not appear to notice Edward Drake who was standing near.
“I hope you have recovered,” he remarked with a smile. “Perhaps I was a little hard, but you really deserved all that I said. I can see that you are still angry with me, but if you take a night to think it over, you will arrive at the conclusion that I was right.”
“I was not aware that Mr. Gaunt had appointed you father confessor to the whole family. Mr. Drake, you really take too much upon yourself,” she said haughtily.
“Come along,” Gaunt cried impatiently.
For a time Lady Ethel sat with her sister, but she was ill at ease, and at an early hour expressed her intention of going to bed. Lady Mildred was relieved by her departure, for she wished to be alone with her thoughts.
A clock chimed ten o’clock, and she went to her bedroom, where she summoned her maid and clothed herself in a dressing-gown covered with clouds of filmy lace that was priceless. Every jewel was removed except her wedding-ring, and at last she was satisfied with her appearance.
“If it were my last mistress, I should say that my lady was about to receive her lover,” was the maid’s unspoken thought.
“May I say that my lady is very beautiful to-night?” the maid remarked respectfully, and she regarded her mistress with the eye of an expert.
It was the first time that she had dared venture upon a compliment, and she half expected a rebuke as a reward, but Lady Mildred only smiled faintly.