"Looking at him and listening to him, I did not believe one word of it. There was a charm about him that no words of mine could possibly describe--a charm that I believe, even now, belongs to no one else on earth. I soon found that what he said was perfectly true. As I returned to the ball-room I saw my mother looking for us. Her eyes did not fall with a very pleased expression on Captain Studleigh. She came up to us and made some little observation to him; the tone of it was barely civil, and he was quick enough to notice it. He gave me one laughing glance, as though he would say, 'You see, I told you I was a detrimental,' then he bowed and went away. "'My dear Estelle,' she said, 'have you been long with Captain Studleigh?' "I told her how long, and she looked displeased. "'Who introduced you to him?'" she asked. "Ah! how ashamed I was. I could not remember; I had never even noticed. She turned to me. "'It was a mistake,' she said, gently. 'He is a handsome man, but the Studleighs are all alike. I should not wish you to fall into the habit of wasting your time with him.' "'Wasting my time.' I repeated that phrase over and over again. The only gleam of happiness I had found in this great world was looked coldly upon by my mother, and called 'wasting my time.' "I went home with my head and heart full of him, longing only for the hour to come when I should meet him again. Looking back, I pity myself, Earle Moray--I pity myself!" CHAPTER XXXVII. "HE MADE ME BELIEVE THAT I WAS THE WHOLE WORLD TO HIM!" "Do I weary you, Earle Moray, with these details?" Lady Estelle asked, looking with wistful eyes into his face. "Out of my thirty-eight years, that was my only gleam of light--does it weary you that I like to dwell upon it?" "No," he replied, "every word interests me; you cannot tell one too much." "I used to wonder," she continued, "when I heard people say that love made or marred a woman's life. In my own mind I thought such words an exaggeration. I found that they were most fatally true--my love marred my life. "That night I left the palace, with my heart and mind full of Ulric Studleigh, and the idea possessed a double charm for me because I was, as it were, forbidden to entertain it. The duchess, my mother spoke to me once more on the subject. We were going to a _fete_ at Kensington Gardens. Before we started she called me to her. "'Estelle,' she said, gravely, 'I hope you will not forget what is due to your position as daughter of the Duke of Downsbury. I hope you will not forget what is required and expected of you.' "I told her that I hoped always to please her, and I intended then to do so. "'If Captain Studleigh should have the bad taste to intrude his society on you,' she continued, 'without being the least unladylike, you must let him see that it is displeasing to you.' "'But, mamma,' I remonstrated, 'it is _not_ displeasing; it is most amusing.'