ed at the door of his house
in St. James's Square. None of his servants appeared yet in livery,
and the man who opened the door was his own valet. He seemed not a
little astonished at the sight of a lady and gentleman with his
master; and the Earl was as much surprised to hear loud voices from
the large dining-room on his left hand.
The Duke and Lady Laura, however, entered, and were passing on; but
the valet, as soon as he had closed the door, advanced and whispered
a few words to the Earl.
The Earl questioned him again in the same tone, put his hand for a
moment to his forehead, and then said, addressing the Duke, "There
are some persons up stairs, my lord duke, that we would rather you
did not see at this moment. I will speak to them for an instant, and
be down with you directly, if you will go into the dining-room. You
will there, I understand, find Lord Byerdale and his son, the latter
of whom, it seems, has come hither for my support and advice, and has
been followed by his father."
"But, my lord, my lord," said the Duke, "after Lord Byerdale's
conduct to myself--"
"Enter into no dispute with him till I come, my dear duke," said the
Earl--"I will be with you in one minute; and his lordship of Byerdale
will have quite sufficient to settle with me, to give occupation to
his thoughts for the rest of the evening. You may chance to see
triumphant villany rebuked--I wanted to have escaped the matter; but
since he has presumed to come into my house, I must take the task
upon myself."
The tone in which he spoke, and the expectation of what was to
follow, fixed the Duke's determination at once; and drawing the arm
of Lady Laura within his own, he followed the servant, who now threw
open the door to which Lord Sunbury pointed, and entered the
dining-room, while the Earl himself ascended the stairs.

CHAPTER XLVI.
A scene curious but yet painful presented itself to the eyes of Lady
Laura and her father on entering the dining-room of Lord Sunbury's
house. On the side of the room opposite to the door stood Lord
Sherbrooke, with his arms folded on his chest, his brow contracted,
his teeth firmly shut, his lips drawn close, and every feature but
the bright and flashing eye betokening a strong and vigorous struggle
to command the passions which were busy in his bosom. Seated at the
table, on which the young nobleman had laid down his sword, was his
beautiful wife, with her eyes buried in her hands, and no part of her
face to be seen but a portion of the chee