‘I promise,’ she said in a low voice; ‘but if you gentlemen will play for such high stakes, you must not expect me to join your game. You would ruin me in no time; as it is, I am regularly “cleaned out.”’ ‘I would much rather you did _not_ join it,’ replied Mr Portland seriously. ‘Ladies are seldom any good at whist, and I would rather play dummy any day. I suppose Ilfracombe will take you to Newmarket and Epsom with him, but you will understand nothing of the races, so I make no objection to that. By the way, have you yet mentioned this matter of our playing high to him? ‘I told him I thought the stakes were high for a private game, but he contradicted me, and said it was no fun playing except for money.’ ‘I should think not. However, don’t speak to him of such a thing again please. Besides, it is ridiculous. He has an ample fortune, and can afford to do as he pleases. I can’t see myself why you sit in the card-room in the evenings, the drawing-room is the proper place for a lady.’ ‘You would like to separate me from my husband altogether, I daresay,’ cried Nora heatedly. ‘By no manner of means. You quite mistake my meaning. Such a proceeding would distress me beyond measure. But I don’t intend to give up any of the privileges which I enjoyed from Ilfracombe’s intimacy before his marriage for you. Had he married anybody else, it might have been different, but not for _you_. It would be too bad to ask me to give up both my lady-love and my friend at one stroke. You will acknowledge the justice of that yourself, won’t you?’ ‘Don’t ask me, I don’t know anything,’ replied the Countess, wearily, as she moved away, ‘You have come into my life again to make it miserable, and if you have no honour nor generosity there is nothing left that I can see to appeal to.’ And in her heart Nora added, ‘And if I could stretch you dead at my feet this moment, I would do it without a single pang.’ She was more cautious in what she said to the earl, however, after that, and occasionally he rallied her on having got over her objection to too high play. Once when they were quite alone, she ventured to answer him. ‘No, Ilfracombe, I cannot say that you are right. You must have observed that I seldom stay in the room now when you are playing, I do not approve of such high stakes, but I do not like to interfere with your enjoyment, or to appear to know better than yourself. But you won’t tell Mr Portland I said so,’ she added in a wistful tone. Lord Ilfracombe looked surprised. ‘Tell Jack, my darling? Why, of course not. All that passes between you and me is sacred. I don’t think you’ve been looking quite up to the mark lately, Nora. I’m afraid you must find Thistlemere rather dull. I shall be glad when the time comes for us to go up to town. Then we’ll see some life together, won’t we?’ And Nora smiled faintly, and answered ‘Yes.’ CHAPTER IX.