" he said, passing over the introduction as rapidly
as possible. "Let me see you to your carriage," he added, offering his
arm. "I will take care that you have the refusal of the house. You may
trust it all to me."

No! Lady Jane was accustomed to leave a favorable impression behind her
wherever she went. It was a habit with her to be charming (in widely
different ways) to both sexes. The social experience of the upper
classes is, in England, an experience of universal welcome. Lady Jane
declined to leave until she had thawed the icy reception of the lady of
the house.

"I must repeat my apologies," she said to Mrs. Vanborough, "for coming
at this inconvenient time. My intrusion appears to have sadly disturbed
the two gentlemen. Mr. Vanborough looks as if he wished me a hundred
miles away. And as for your husband--" She stopped and glanced toward
Mr. Delamayn. "Pardon me for speaking in that familiar way. I have not
the pleasure of knowing your husband's name."

In speechless amazement Mrs. Vanborough's eyes followed the direction of
Lady Jane's eyes--and rested on the lawyer, personally a total stranger
to her.

Mr. Delamayn, resolutely waiting his opportunity to speak, seized it
once more--and held it this time.

"I beg your pardon," he said. "There is some misapprehension here, for
which I am in no way responsible. I am _not_ that lady's husband."

It was Lady Jane's turn to be astonished. She looked at the lawyer.
Useless! Mr. Delamayn had set himself right--Mr. Delamayn declined to
interfere further. He silently took a chair at the other end of the
room. Lady Jane addressed Mr. Vanborough.

"Whatever the mistake may be," she said, "you are responsible for it.
You certainly told me this lady was your friend's wife."

"What!!!" cried Mrs. Vanborough--loudly, sternly, incredulously.

The inbred pride of the great lady began to appear behind the thin outer
veil of politeness that covered it.

"I will speak louder if you wish it," she said. "Mr. Vanborough told me
you were that gentleman's wife."

Mr. Vanborough whispered fiercely to his wife through his clenched
teeth.

"The whole thing is a mistake. Go into the garden again!"

Mrs. Vanborough's indignation was suspended for the moment in dread, as
she saw the passion and the terror struggling in her husband's face.

"How you look at me!" she said. "How you speak to me!"

He only repeated, "Go into the garden!"

Lady Jane began to perceive, what the