Instinctively Lady Linton knew why Mrs. Alexander was there in London. She had come to fulfill the threat that she had uttered so long ago, and a terrible despair settled down upon the finished woman of the world, rendering her speechless, constrained, embarrassed. Mrs. Alexander, however, was entirely at her ease. She had expected to meet this woman in society at some time or other, and was prepared for the encounter. She bowed with exceeding grace, but with a suspicion of ironical politeness, while she remarked in cool, placid tones: “I have had the pleasure of meeting Lady Linton before.” The sound of her voice broke the spell that held her ladyship enthralled; she managed to bow and to murmur some inarticulate words in return, then Lady Dunforth passed on with her guest, wondering if Lady Linton was ill, that she should appear so unlike herself. CHAPTER XVI. MORE INTRODUCTIONS. Meanwhile another spiritual episode was transpiring in a different portion of Lady Dunforth’s drawing-room. Lillian Linton, brilliantly beautiful in pale pink silk, with elegant ornaments of opals, was entertaining a group of young people, while merry jest and sparkling repartee ran from lip to lip, when, chancing to glance toward the door, she saw Rupert Hamilton coming forward with a girl of bewildering loveliness leaning on his arm. Her heart gave a great startled bound as she looked, for something in the glance, at once proud and fond, which the young man bent upon his fair companion—something in the happy, trustful eyes which Virgie raised to meet her lover’s, told her that her own dream of love in connection with her uncle’s ward could never be realized. Rupert had appeared very different to her since his return from America. While he always treated her with every mark of politeness and friendliness, there was at the same time an unusual reserve—a constraint in his manner which seemed like a brazen wall between them. At first she had told herself that it was because he had been absent so long; that when he was once more thoroughly settled at home matters would resume their usual course, and she would be able to win him by the witchery of her charms. But he had been restless and absent-minded; he was anxious to get back to London, and could hardly control his impatience until the family completed their arrangements to go for a while to their town house. Now she could understand it all. She was quick and keen enough to comprehend why his handsome face was all aglow; why his eyes beamed with that tender, unaccustomed light that called the soft color to the young girl’s cheeks and wreathed her red lips with happy smiles—he loved and was beloved.