"What would dear Sir Grantley say if he knew?" she exclaimed; and hurrying to her secret chamber, she rang for Justine, when a long consultation ensued. "Cer-tainly, milady, if you like," said the dark Frenchwoman; "but that is the way to make the servants in the hall talk--they are so low--and do tattle so. Then it come to Sir Grantley's groom's ears, and Sir Grantley's groom tell Sir Vilter, and ze mischief is all made." "Yes, Justine; but what can I do, my good soul? I would not care if they were married; it would not matter a bit. Now, don't exaggerate, Justine--great patches do you say?" Justine tightened her lips and plunged one hand into the pocket of her apron to draw forth a tuft of soft fair hair and hold it up before her ladyship. "Oh, Justine!" she half shrieked, sighing and heaving billowy, "this is dreadful. Poor child, she will be nearly bald. Oh, Justine, whatever you do, preserve your hair. I know of a case where a lady of title became an old maid when she might have had a great establishment, all through losing her hair." "I will take the greatest care, milady." "My drops, Justine, my drops. This is really too much for my nerves." Justine hurried to a case, and brought out a _flacon_ of spirits of red lavender, a goodly portion of which her ladyship took upon lumps of sugar, sighed, and felt better. "What is to be done, my good Justine? It must be a profound secret." "What more of ease, milady, than for Miladi Maude to go out for ze health promenade every morning, and call upon Monsieur Hector Launay. I tink he might be trusted if he is well pay." "Oh, no, no," exclaimed her ladyship, sharply. "I could not trust her; she is too weak." "Wis her faithful attendant, milady?" Her ladyship turned sharply round upon the maid, and gazed full into the dark shining eyes that met hers without a wink. "Can I trust you, Justine?" she exclaimed. "Who knows better than milady?" retorted the maid. "Is it I who go below to the servants and betrays all miladi's secrets? _Ma foi_! no: I sooner die. And," she added, nodding sharply, "I know two, tre, many secret of her ladyship." "Yes, yes, you do, my good Justine. It shall be as you say: Monsieur Launay shall have a very high fee for his pains if he checks it. A silly, weak girl; it is nothing but fretting after that nasty, vulgar wretch and his dog. Ah, Justine, if ever you become a mother, you will know what a mother's troubles really are." Her ladyship rolled in her _fauteuil_ more like the heaving billows than ever, and shed a couple of tears, either the tears or her breath smelling strongly of lavender. "Poor milady!" said the confidential maid, compassionately. "Then milady trusts me to see that Miladi Maude goes safely to the coiffeur's?"