Mrs. Douglas' eyes flash angrily. "I suppose you are in her confidence. I acted for the best. Keith was always wild and rash, and not at all a suitable match; and, besides that, she was not in love with him--or, at least, never told me so. She was quite content to marry Sir Francis." "She could have known nothing of his reputation, then," answers Lady Etwynde. "He was always a bad, fast man; and he has treated Lauraine abominably." Mrs. Douglas looks at her with increased curiosity. "What has he done? Is it about--Lady Jean?" "Yes," answers Lady Etwynde, colouring. "Lauraine knows now what the world has long suspected; and when she would not allow that woman to remain under her roof, Sir Francis threatened her with proceedings and dragged in poor Keith Athelstone's name." "Good Heavens!" exclaims Mrs. Douglas, "what scandal--what horror! Oh, surely he is not in earnest? Why, Lauraine is a fool--a perfect fool! Why did she make a scene about it? Of course, every one knows such things happen constantly. Men are never faithful--never! But to insult the woman--and for what good? To think that a daughter of mine should have been such an idiot?" "It does seem remarkable, doesn't it?" says Lady Etwynde dryly. "You see women nowadays generally prefer worldly advantage to their own self-respect." "Self-respect! Fiddlesticks!" cries Mrs. Douglas, growing more and more irate. "Will self-respect give her her present position, or gain the world's belief in her innocence if she is once in the Divorce Court? Self-respect! I hate such rubbish. She had everything she wanted; why could she not have been content?" "I dare say you would never understand why," answers Lady Etwynde calmly. "Lauraine is singularly unlike yourself." "Lauraine is a fool--a perfect fool!" cries Mrs. Douglas furiously. "To get herself into a scrape like this, and all for nothing; to insult a woman of Lady Jean's position, and then to get herself talked about as she's done with that young idiot Keith, and simply because of some childish folly long ago, when they fancied themselves in love with each other! Why, she must have taken leave of her senses, and all this time she has not said a word to me--her own mother!" Lady Etwynde is silent. She is thinking it would have been stranger still if Lauraine _had_ taken her mother into her confidence. "I am sure Sir Francis was always most kind to her," resumes Mrs. Douglas presently. "Always when I have seen them together." "I believe it is not a rule in good society for husband and wife to quarrel openly," remarks Lady Etwynde. "She should have been content and sensible like other people," goes on Mrs. Douglas, disregarding the interruption. "Good gracious, every one knows such things go on. You can't make saints of men. You must take them as they are. And did she actually make Lady Jean leave the house?"