"In buccaneering circles," he remarked, with a smile, "the man who is most unscrupulous is the man who wins. Probably this fact accounts for Mr. Winn's marvellous successes."
Lady Dorothy drew herself up, and, swinging round, faced the Count. There was a touch of crimson on her cheeks.
"You have evidently never met Alan Winn, Count Morlot," she said, with flashing eyes. "He is the soul of honesty—and a true man!"
Without waiting for any reply, she moved quickly towards the door, and swept out of the room. There was a dead silence. All eyes were fixed on the Count. He gave a barely perceptible shrug of the shoulders, as he glanced at the door through which Lady Dorothy had made her retreat.
Julia Crofton was the first to speak.
"Come along, Bobbie," she said, "you promised to take me to see the fruit-garden."
"Certainly," replied Lord Bobbie, with alacrity. He crossed the room and opened the door.
"See you presently, Count," he said. "Good morning, Miss Grahame; ta-ta, Jim, don't be too much of a nuisance."
The Count waited a few seconds after the couple had disappeared, then bowed to the governess and took his departure.
Olive Grahame did not immediately return to the children. She stood staring absently into the middle of the room. There was still a picture before her, of a woman supremely beautiful, standing with lifted head, her glorious eyes flashing indignantly, as she defended the character of Alan Winn. She sighed softly.