"Make haste!" cried the Earl. My lady opened her heavy eyes. "Leave me alone," she whispered. "It is over." The doctor took her arm and rolled back the loose blue sleeve. Honoria, watchful, quiet, held the basin and the linen. "She is dying!" cried my lord hoarsely. For the first time he used her name. "Lavinia!" She gave a great heaving breath, coughed, and sank sideways off the chair, her lips parted and her eyes turned up. The Earl caught her with an exclamation of horror. The Countess struggled a moment for breath, gave a sound like a laugh, and fell against my lord's breast. "She is dead!" said the Earl. Confusion and bewilderment fell on my lady's chambers; only Honoria Pryse was cool and unmoved. She gave one look at the face of the Countess as they carried her to the bed, then slipped away, picked up my lady's red cloak of last night, in the pocket of which still remained the casket of jewels she had provided for her flight, and quietly left the apartment. "There is no hope," said the old doctor in a frightened voice. "She is dead or dying." "Lavinia!" cried the Earl again. He bent over the bed on which they had laid her slight figure, and his tumbled hair touched her hollow cheek. The Countess did not speak. In the outer chamber was sudden commotion. "'Tis my lady's father, nor will he be stopped." Through the gaping crowds of servants a man's figure thrust forward. The Earl moved to the door of the inner chamber. Mr. Hilton, motioning aside those who sought to speak to or impede him, caught sight of my lord. "Where is Lavinia?" he cried at a pitch of passion that was regardless of all about him. "I will speak to her, and to you, Lord Lyndwood." "You cannot see your daughter, sir," said the Earl. "Is the idle jade still abed? No matter, I must speak to her." He forced past the Earl into the bedchamber. "Stand back!" cried my lord, and caught his arm. "Can you not see?" Mr. Hilton turned on him fiercely. "I am ruined, you rake-helly fop! Do you hear me? Ruined!" "We are not alone!" exclaimed my lord, glancing with horrified eyes on the older man. "Where is Lavinia?" shrieked Mr. Hilton. "Lavinia, you have ruined me! I am a beggar! Do you hear? God curse you, my lady!" A shudder ran through the room. The Earl stepped to where the Countess lay, and raised the heavy curtain so that the light fell over the bed. "My lady does not care," he said wildly, and pointed to her face. PART III CHAPTER I THE CONFESSION OF ROSE LYNDWOOD "You are so much engaged you are quite a stranger to me," said Miss Chressham. "Forgive me for having requested your company." My lord answered smilingly. "My time is yours; you must remember that it is you, not I, who have been from town." Susannah raised rather weary eyes. "Compliments apart, have you half an hour to give me, Rose?" He glanced at the silver timepiece. "I am due at Carlisle House at ten; there is a new singer----" "And Miss Trefusis will be there."