t. Lady Glencora understood well all
that Alice had said: and yet, though she hated Miss Palliser for what
had been done, she entertained no anger against Alice. Of course
Alice would have prevented that visit to Monkshade if it were in her
power to do so. Of course she would save her friend. It is hardly
too much to say that Lady Glencora looked to Alice to save her.
Nevertheless she hated Iphy Palliser for engaging herself in the same
business. Lady Glencora looked to Alice to save her, and yet it may
be doubted whether she did, in truth, wish to be saved.

While she was at Matching, and before Mr Palliser had returned from
Monkshade, a letter reached her, by what means she had never learned.
"A letter has been placed within my writing-case," she said to her
maid, quite openly. "Who put it there?" The maid had declared her
ignorance in a manner that had satisfied Lady Glencora of her truth.
"If such a thing happens again," said Lady Glencora, "I shall be
obliged to have the matter investigated. I cannot allow that anything
should be put into my room surreptitiously." There, then, had been an
end of that, as regarded any steps taken by Lady Glencora. The letter
had been from Burgo Fitzgerald, and had contained a direct proposal
that she should go off with him. "I am at Matching," the letter said,
"at the Inn; but I do not dare to show myself, lest I should do you
an injury. I walked round the house yesterday, at night, and I know
that I saw your room. If I am wrong in thinking that you love me, I
would not for worlds insult you by my presence; but if you love me
still, I ask you to throw aside from you that fictitious marriage,
and give yourself to the man whom, if you love him, you should regard
as your husband." There had been more of it, but it had been to the
same effect. To Lady Glencora it had seemed to convey an assurance
of devoted love,--of that love which, in former days, her friends
had told her was not within the compass of Burgo's nature. He had
not asked her to meet him then, but saying that he would return to
Matching after Parliament was met, begged her to let him have some
means of knowing whether her heart was true to him.

She told no one of the letter, but she kept it, and read it over and
over again in the silence and solitude of her room. She felt that she
was guilty in thus reading it,--even in keeping it from her husband's
knowledge; but though conscious of this guilt, though resolute almost
i