Those words decided me. Lady Ursula was coming back. I had not a second to lose. I was determined that she should see how the excitable, eccentric young person could act. I opened the morocco case, took the ring out, and slipped it on my finger. The moment she returned to her table I held up my hand, and let her see the glittering treasure. She gave a cry of sharp pain. "Oh, Rosamund, you are not really going to be so cruel!" "I am very sorry," I answered, "but I must have my ring. This is not a case of cruelty. It is simply a case of my requiring my own property back. Under great pressure I lent it to you for a week. Now I must have it back. Good-bye." "But, Rosamund, Rosamund!" She caught hold of my dress. "I gave you thirty pounds for the ring last week. You found the money useful; you know you did." "Yes," I said. I blushed as the memory of all that that money meant rushed over me. With some of that thirty pounds I had saved Jack and our family honour. The money had been undoubtedly useful, but I held the glittering ring on my finger, and I loved it better than gold. "I will give you forty pounds this week," said Lady Ursula. "No, no, I cannot accept it," I replied. I walked towards the door. "Fifty pounds," she said, following me. "Oh, Rosamund, Rosamund, you are not going to be so cruel!" "I must have my ring," I said. "You have many treasures, and this is my one ewe-lamb. Why should you seek to deprive me of it?" "Rosamund, please sit down." She took my hand. "Come and sit by me on the sofa, dear Rosamund. You know why I want this ruby ring; Captain Valentine knows nothing of the terrible loss I have sustained. If he hears of it--if he knows that his ring is gone, he will break off his engagement." "Then I have only one thing to say, Lady Ursula," I replied; "if that is the nature of the man you are about to marry, you had better find it out before marriage than afterwards. Do you think _I_ would marry a man who loved a trinket more than me? No! I am a poor girl, but I should be too proud for that. Lady Ursula, take your courage in your hands, and tell Captain Valentine the truth. He is not what you think; even I know better than that." "You don't. You don't know him a bit." "I know what a brave and good man ought to be; surely you could marry no one else." Lady Ursula got up and stamped her foot. "Child," she said, "you sit there and dare to argue with me. You are the cruellest creature I ever came across, the cruellest, the hardest. I hate you! I wish I had never met you." Her voice rose high in its petulance and passion. Once more the door was opened, and Captain Rupert Valentine came in. "What is the matter?" he asked in some alarm. His indignant eyes flashed angry fire at me; I am sure he considered me a young person deprived of the use of her intellect, who was seeking to terrify Lady Ursula, perhaps even to lay violent hands on her.