"Who is Mrs. Dugald?" inquired Claudia coldly. "Mrs. Dugald is--Mrs. Dugald," replied his lordship, affecting a light tone. "That is no answer, my lord." "Well, my lady, she is a relation of mine. Will that do for an answer?" "What sort of a relation?" "A very near one." "How near?" "She is my--sister," smiled Lord Vincent. "Your sister? I know that you have only two sisters, and they are styled 'ladies'--Lady Eda and Lady Clementina Dugald. This is a 'Mrs.' She cannot be your sister, and not even your sister-in-law, since you have no brother." The viscount coolly lighted his cigar and walked out of the room. Claudia remained sitting where he had left her, deeply perplexed in mind. Then, feeling too restless to sit still, she arose and began to walk about the room and examine its objects of interest--its pictures, statues, vases, et cetera. She then went to the windows; the shutters were closed, the blinds down and the curtains drawn, so that she could not look out into the night; but she could hear the thunder of the sea as it broke upon the rock on which the castle was founded. Tired of that, she went to the music stand, near the piano, and began to turn over the music books. She picked up one from which Mrs. Dugald had been singing. In turning it over her eyes fell upon the picture of a full-length female form engraved upon the cover. She looked at it more closely. It was the portrait of the woman who had been introduced to her as Mrs. Dugald. But it bore the name: La Faustina, as Norma. CHAPTER XVII. THE PLOT AGAINST CLAUDIA. Alas! a thought of saddest weight Presses and will have vent: Had she not scorned his love, her fate Had been so different! Had her heart bent its haughty will To take him for its lord, She had been proudly happy still; Still honored, still adored. --_Monckton Milnes_ Indignation rooted Claudia to the spot. Instinct had already warned her that she was insulted and degraded by the presence of this strange woman in the house. Reason now confirmed instinct. And Claudia was entirely too self-willed and high-spirited to submit to either insult or degradation. She instantly resolved to demand of Lord Vincent the immediate dismissal of this woman, and to keep her own rooms until her demand was complied with. This, in fact, was the only truly dignified course of conduct that, under the circumstances, Claudia could have pursued. With this resolution she withdrew from the drawing rooms, and went upstairs to seek her own apartment. Here the very accident happened that we mentioned as being so likely to happen to any newcomer to the castle. As she reached the great hall on the second floor she looked around upon the many doors that opened from its four walls into the many suites of apartments that radiated from it, as from a common center, to the outer walls of the castle keep. But which was her own door she was puzzled for a moment to decide.