"I know perfectly well that he will not," replied the countess; but Mr.
Sewell did not feel so sure.

The earl, the countess, and the solicitor sat together at Dunmore House,
in solemn consultation; they were quite uncertain what should be the
next step taken. Due legal notice had been given Lord Chandos; he had
simply torn the paper into shreds and laughed at it--laughed at the idea
that any law, human or divine, could separate him from his young wife;
he took no notice of it; he never appeared in answer to any inquiry or
summons; he answered no questions; the lawyer into whose hands he had
half laughingly placed the whole matter had everything to do for him,
and wondered at the recklessness with which the young lord treated the
whole affair.

It was all over now; and the decree which had parted them, which severed
the tie between them, had gone forth--the marriage was void and worth
nothing.

The matrons of Belgravia who read it said it was perfectly right; there
was no doubt that he had been inveigled into it; and if such a thing
were allowed to go unpunished there would be no more safety for their
curled darlings; they would be at the mercy of any designing, underbred
girl who chose to angle for them.

Men of the world smiled as they read it, and thought Lord Chandos well
out of what might have been a very serious trouble. Young people thought
little about it; the Belgravian belles merely said one to another that
Lord Chandos had been in some kind of trouble, but that his parents had
extricated him. And then all comment ended; even the second day after
the judgment was given it had been forgotten.

When the Countess of Lanswell held in her hands the letter which told
her the desire of her heart was granted, and her son free, for a few
moments she was startled; her handsome face paled, her hands trembled;
it had been a desperate step, but she had won. She had the greatest
faith in her own resources; she felt a certain conviction that in the
end she would win; but for one moment she was half startled at her own
success.

"Let us send for Lance here to Cawdor," she said to the earl, "while Mr.
Sewell sees the girl and arranges with her. He must have _carte blanche_
over money matters; whatever he thinks fit to mention I shall agree to.
If a thousand a year contents her, I am willing."

"Yes, yes--it is no question of money," said the earl. "It will be a
great trouble to her naturally, and we are bound to make w