But Bella’s tears were not so readily stanched, and for a time she refused to be comforted.
CHAPTER XIII.
Half an hour later, as Lady Renshaw was sitting alone in her room, musing in bitterness of spirit on the mutability of human affairs, a message was brought her. Sir William Ridsdale’s compliments to Lady Renshaw, and would her ladyship favour him with her company for a few minutes in his apartments?
She rose with a sigh. Her anticipated triumph was shorn of half its glory. Archie Ridsdale might be a free man to-morrow, and it would matter nothing now, as far as she was concerned. Bella had made a fool of herself, and doubtless Archie had all along been a party to the deception. This thought coming suddenly, revived her like a stimulant. What would her disappointment be in comparison with his humiliation when he should learn that which his father had to tell him! Then there was that haughty Madame De Vigne. For her, too, the hour of humiliation was at hand. As she thought of these things, while on her way to Sir William’s room, Lady Renshaw’s spirits rose again. She felt that life had still some compensations for her.
A staid-looking man-servant ushered her into the room. She gazed round; but there was no one to be seen save Colonel Woodruffe, who was a stranger to her, and Mr Etheridge. The latter rose and advanced with his thin, faint smile.
‘I was given to understand that I should find Sir William Ridsdale here,’ said her ladyship in a somewhat aggrieved tone.
‘I am Sir William Ridsdale, very much at your service,’ was the quiet reply of the smiling, white-haired gentleman before her.
Probably in the whole course of her life Lady Renshaw had never been so much taken aback as she was at that moment. She literally gasped for words, but none came.
‘Will you not be seated?’ said the baronet; and with that he led her to a chair, and then he drew up another for himself a little distance away.
‘I will give your ladyship credit for at once appreciating the motives by which I was influenced in acting as I have acted. I came here incognito in order that I might be able to see and judge for myself respecting certain matters which might possibly very materially affect both my son’s future and my own. Archie was got out of the way for a day or two; and the only person who knew me not to be Mr Etheridge was my old friend here, Colonel Woodruffe, to whom, by-the-bye, I must introduce your ladyship.’