"I say nothing," replied Dowker evasively, "till I see Lady Balscombe." When the trio arrived at Brighton it was growing late, so they went to the "Ship" Hotel and had something to eat. Finding out from the waiter that the _Seamew_ was lying a short distance from the pier they went down, and hiring a boat rowed to the yacht. When they climbed up on to the deck they were accosted by one of the officers, who wanted to know their business. "We want to see Lord Calliston," said Balscombe quietly. "I'm afraid that's impossible," replied the officer, "as he went up to town to-day on business." "Is there not a lady on board?" asked Norwood. "Yes--you mean----" "Never mind telling us her name," said Balscombe shortly, feeling a horror at hearing his wife's name mentioned. "Can we see her?" "I will ask," answered the officer, and he went downstairs to the cabin, from which he soon reascended with the news that they could go down. Dowker went first, followed by Norwood and Sir Rupert, all feeling in a strange state of excitement at the prospect of the coming interview. The cabin was small, but luxuriously fitted up in pale blue silk, and the walls panelled in oak, with small medallions of seascapes around. A lamp hanging from the ceiling shed a soft mellow light over all, and on the table below was a work-basket and some embroidery. "She has been working, I see," whispered Balscombe with a sneer as they entered into the cabin. No one was present, but suddenly they heard the rustle of a dress, and a curtain at the end of the cabin parted admitting a woman--a tall fair faced woman, with shining golden hair. At this sight Norwood and Dowker turned to look on Sir Rupert, to watch the effect of the sight of his wife on him, when they saw he was pale as death and had made a step forward. "You wish to see me?" asked the lady, advancing towards the group. "You--you----" cried Sir Rupert in a choked voice. "You are not Lady Balscombe." "I!" in surprise. "No!--I am not Lady Balscombe." Dowker and Norwood turned suddenly. "Who are you?" "Lena Sarschine!" CHAPTER XVI. MORE REVELATIONS. If there ever were three men taken aback, those three were certainly in the cabin of the _Seamew_--as for Miss Sarschine, she stood looking calmly at them with an expression of surprise. "Will you kindly tell me what you want?" she asked quietly--"Is it to see Lord Calliston?" "No," replied Dowker, who had somewhat recovered himself, "we wanted to see you." "To see me?" she said with surprise. "Or at least, Lady Balscombe." Miss Sarschine smiled contemptuously. "I understand what you mean," she said coolly. "You thought that Lord Calliston had eloped with Lady Balscombe--so he intended to have done, but I changed his plans and eloped instead." "And where did you leave Lady Balscombe on the night you visited her?" asked Norwood. "I do not answer that question till I know who you are," she said boldly, frowning at him.