"Oh, is that it?" he said with a short laugh. "Don't worry your head about Mrs. Veilsturm, aunt. All the world can know the relations that exist between us." "All the world does know." Errington arose from his seat with a smothered ejaculation, and thrusting his hands into his pockets, began to walk backwards and forwards. "You needn't use bad language, my dear Guy," said Aunt Jelly, with aggravating placidity. "All I want to know is what you mean by leaving your wife and running after Mrs. Veilsturm?" "I'm not running after Mrs. Veilsturm," said her nephew angrily, "and I've not left my wife. I'm simply up in Town for a spell, and have called once or twice to see a very pleasant woman." "A very pleasant woman, indeed," sneered Aunt Jelly scornfully. "If you think so badly of her, I wonder you let your ward go near her." "I don't know anything against the woman's character," replied Miss Corbin, "so there's no reason I should keep Victoria away. I daresay she's as bad as the rest of them, and conceals it better. But that's nothing to do with my question. It has come to my ears that you are paying marked attentions to Mrs. Veilsturm, and I want to know if it is true." "No, it is not true?" answered Errington slowly. "I have been a great deal with Mrs. Veilsturm since I came up to Town, but that was simply because she asked me to visit her, and without being absolutely rude, I could not refuse." "A very nice explanation," said his aunt disbelievingly, "but do you think it is one your wife will accept?" "My wife knows nothing about my visits to Mrs. Veilsturm." "Indeed she does," replied Aunt Jelly coolly. "I wrote and told her all about them." Guy's face grew as pale as that of a corpse, and he stared at Miss Corbin as if he had been turned into stone. At length, with an effort, he arose to his feet and repeated her answer in a harsh, strained voice. "You wrote and told her all about them?" "Yes! I did not think your conduct was right, so, as your wife has most influence with you, I wrote and told her to call you back to Ellington." All the blood in his body seemed to surge up into his head with the violent effort he made to suppress his anger. Had it been any one else but this feeble old woman, he would have simply let his passion master him, but in this case, with such an adversary he could do nothing. "God forgive you, Aunt Jelly," he said at length, "you've done a cruel thing," and he turned and walked slowly to the door. "I have done what was right," said Miss Corbin bravely. "You were deceiving your wife, and I was determined she should know of your deception." Sir Guy turned towards her as he paused at the door, and when she finished speaking, answered her slowly and deliberately.