Van Ness received the card and command with a smile and bow, meant for the bystanders: "Of course, Charlotte, you understand that these payments must soon stop. I shall rid myself of any legal claims you have upon me before marrying another woman."
"Oh, I've no doubt you'll walk strictly according to law! You will not run the risk of a lawsuit, much less prosecution, even for Miss Swendon. You will have no trouble in gaining your freedom from me," shrilly.
"None whatever," stripping the leaves from a willow wand. She left him without a word, going to the house.
Mrs. Wilde had just summoned her carriage. "Where is the princess?" looking lazily around.
"Is Madame Trebizoff a guest in your house?" asked Jane suddenly.
"Yes."
"I will call her. I have something to say to her."
She went to meet her with the grave motherly firmness with which she would have gone to give a scolding to black Buff or a lazy chambermaid. The princess, crossing the grass, slender, dark, sparkling, had no doubt of her own smouldering passionate hate against her. It was the proper thing for Hagar to hate Sarah. Life was thin and insipid without great remorses, revenges, loves. The poor little creature was always aiming at them, and falling short. She was wondering now why Jane wore no jewelry. "Not an earring! Not a hoop on her finger! If I had her money!" glancing down at the blaze of rubies on her breast.
They met under a clump of lilacs.
"Stop one moment," said Jane, looking down at her not unkindly. "You must not let this go too far, you know."