"It is in virtue of that, that I've ventured to intrude myself upon you this afternoon. You have, like myself, a great interest in his welfare, I'm sure, and I am come to make common cause with you for his good." "You could have come to no one more willing--but will you do me the honour to accept a seat in the garden, where we can chat more at leisure." "I shall be charmed," he said, and she led the way to a rustic bench, under the spreading branches of a gnarled, old apple-tree. "Our friend makes no secrets of his own affairs from me, you must understand," Kent-Lauriston began, after assuring himself that they were alone, "and I imagine, from what he's said, that he's given you some inkling of his heart troubles." "Yes," she said, "he hinted to me in London that he had some affair under consideration; but I do not think he felt deeply--as he should have felt. I trust it's not turned out seriously." "Not as yet, I'm glad to say--but he's in some danger; and, believe me, you could not be doing him a greater service, than in helping to ward off this peril, which would be the ruin of his life." "Indeed, yes,--but what means have I?" "I believe you have it in your power to prove that the woman who has bewitched him, is unworthy of his love. Let him realise this and he is saved." "But, surely, you're not alluding to the lady who formed our topic of conversation this morning?" "I fear I am." "But Mr. Stanley assured me that she was nothing to him." "You were talking at cross purposes, and unintentionally deceiving each other." "How so?" "Why, there are two versions of the story of that marriage. The version Mr. Stanley had been told runs to this effect:--that Lieutenant Kingsland married Lady Isabelle McLane." "But the register----" "Says she didn't. I know, I've seen it; but our young friend has not, or had not when he last saw you." "Then he thought I was referring to Lady Isabelle?" "Exactly. No names were mentioned, he told me." "True--but this is most unfortunate! Do you see my position?" "Believe me, I'm fully informed on the matter, so that I'll not put you to the pain of relating it." She bowed her silent thanks, and then continued:-- "The fact of this lady's marriage ties my hands. Deeply as she has wronged me, have I any right to ruin her husband's life by her exposure? If she has reformed----" "My dear Madame Darcy, pray disabuse your mind of two misconceptions: the lady in question, Miss Fitzgerald, has not reformed, and I doubt if the marriage is legal. There's some trick about it." "What you've told me leaves me free to act where my own honour is concerned; but I naturally feel a delicacy about interfering in Mr. Stanley's private affairs."