Her slender but elegant form was clothed in the deepest mourning; her pale, delicate face was shaded by the blackest ringlets; her large, dark eyes were fixed with the saddest interest upon the face of Hannah Worth. Hannah arose in great surprise to meet her. "You are Miss Worth, I suppose?" said the young stranger. "Yes, miss; what is your will with me?" "I am the Countess of Hurstmonceux. Will you let me rest here a little while?" she asked, with a sweet smile. Hannah gazed at the speaker in the utmost astonishment, forgetting to answer her question, or offer a seat, or even to shut the door, through which the wind was blowing fiercely. What! was this beautiful pale young creature the Countess of Hurstmonceux, the rival of Nora, the wife of Herman Brudenell, the "bad, artful woman" who had entrapped the young Oxonian into a discreditable marriage? Impossible! While Hannah stood thus dumbfounded before the visitor, Reuben came forward with rude courtesy, closed the door, placed a chair before the fire, and invited the lady to be seated. The countess, with a gentle bow of thanks, passed on, sank into a chair, and let her sable furs slip from her shoulders in a drift around her feet. CHAPTER XVI. THE FORSAKEN WIFE. He prayeth best who loveth most All things both great and small, For the good God who loveth us, He made and loveth all. --_Coleridge_. To account for the strange visit of the countess to Hannah Worth we must change the scene to Brudenell Hall. From the time of her sudden arrival at her husband's house, every hour had been fraught with suffering to Berenice. In the first instance, where she had expected to give a joyful surprise, she had only given a painful shock; where she had looked for a cordial welcome, she had received a cold repulse; finally, where she had hoped her presence would confer happiness, it had brought misery! On the very evening of her arrival her husband, after meeting her with reproaches, had fled from the house, leaving no clew to his destination, and giving no reason for his strange proceeding.