Mr. Caryll lounged back in his chair, and threw one leg over the other. “I have always endeavored,” said he, “to suffer fools as gladly as a Christian should. So since you insist, I'll be patient until I have the ear of my Lord Carteret--who, I take it, is a man of sense. But if I were you, my lord, and you, my lady, I should not insist. Believe me, you'll cut poor figures. As for you, my lord, ye're in none such good odor, as it is.” “Let that be,” snarled his lordship. “If I mention it at all, I but do so in your lordship's own interests. It will be remembered that ye attempted to murder me once, and that will not be of any great help to such accusations as you may bring against me. Besides which, there is the unfortunate circumstance that it's widely known ye're not a man to be believed.” “Will you be silent?” roared his lordship, in a towering passion. “If I trouble myself to speak at all, it is out of concern for your lordship,” Mr. Caryll insisted sweetly. “And in your own interest, and your ladyship's, too, I'd counsel you to hear me a moment without witnesses.” His tone was calculatedly grave. Lord Rotherby looked at him, sneering; not so her ladyship. Less acquainted with his ways, the absolute confidence and unconcern of his demeanor was causing her uneasiness. A man who was perilously entrammelled would not bear himself so easily, she opined. She rose, and crossed to her son's side. “What have you to say?” she asked Mr. Caryll. “Nay, madam,” he replied, “not before these.” And he indicated the servants. “'Tis but a pretext to have them out of the room,” said Rotherby. Mr. Caryll laughed the notion to scorn. “If you think that--I give you my word of honor to attempt no violence, nor to depart until you shall give me leave,” said he. Rotherby, judging Mr. Caryll by his knowledge of himself, still hesitated. But her ladyship realized, in spite of her detestation of the man, that he was not of the temper of those whose word is to be doubted. She signed to the footmen. “Go,” she bade them. “Wait within call.” They departed, and Mr. Caryll remained seated for all that her ladyship was standing; it was as if by that he wished to show how little he was minded to move. Her ladyship's eye fell upon Hortensia. “Do you go, too, child,” she bade her. Instead, Hortensia came forward. “I wish to remain, madam,” she said. “Did I ask you what you wished?” demanded the countess. “My place is here,” Hortensia explained. “Unless Mr. Caryll should, himself, desire me to depart.” “Nay, nay,” he cried, and smiled upon her fondly--so fondly that the countess's eyes grew wider. “With all my heart, I desire you to remain. It is most fitting you should hear that which I have to say.” “What does it mean?” demanded Rotherby, thrusting himself forward, and scowling from one to the other of them. “What d'ye mean, Hortensia?” “I am Mr. Caryll's betrothed wife,” she answered quietly.