Her face was perfectly white by this time, her lips set tightly. He feared she was going to faint; but, with a great effort she fought against the deadly weakness which assailed her. "So that was what you wrote!" she breathed, every word leaving her lips as if it caused her pain to utter. "You--you--have deceived me." "No, Luce," he said quickly. "Yes, yes! When I left here you----Is it not true that you intended asking me to be your wife, to renew our engagement? Answer!" She glanced up at him, her teeth showing between her parted lips. He inclined his head. "Yes, it is true; but I had not met--I had not heard----Oh, what is the use of all this recrimination, Luce? I am engaged to the girl I love." She raised her hand as if to strike him. He caught it gently, and as gently released it. "I will go," she panted. "I will go at once. Be good enough to order my carriage----" She put her hand to her head as if she did not know what she was saying; and Drake's heart ached with pity for her--at that moment, at any rate. "Don't think too hardly of me, Luce," he said, in a low voice. "And you have not lost much, remember." She clasped her hands and swayed to and fro for a moment. "I see! It is your revenge. I once jilted you, and now----" "For God's sake, don't say--don't think----No man could be so base, so vile!" he said sternly. She laughed. "It is your revenge; I see it. Yes, you have scored. I will go--at once. Open the door, please!" There was nothing else to be done. He opened the door for her, and she swept past him. Outside, she paused for a moment, as if she did not know where she was, or in which direction her room lay; then she went slowly--almost staggered--down the corridor, and, bursting into her room, fell into a chair. So sudden was her entrance, so tragic her collapse, that the nervous Burden uttered a faint shriek. "Oh, my lady! what is the matter?" she cried, her hand against her heart. Lady Luce sat with her chin in her hands, her eyes gleaming from her white face, in silence for a moment; then she laughed, the laugh which borders on hysteria. "Congratulate me, Burden!" she said bitterly; "congratulate me! Lord Angleford is engaged!" Burden stared at her. "To--to your ladyship?" she said, but doubtfully. "I do congratulate you." "You fool!" cried Luce savagely. "He is engaged to another woman. He has jilted me! Oh, I think I shall go mad! Jilted me! Yes, it is that, and no less. Oh, my head! my head!" Burden hurried to her with the eau de Cologne, but Lady Luce pushed it away. "Keep out of my sight! I can't bear the sight of any human being! Engaged! 'I am engaged to Miss Lorton!'"--she mimicked Drake's voice in bitter mockery. Burden started, and let the eau de Cologne bottle fall with a soft thud to the floor. "What--what name did your ladyship say?" she gasped, her face as white as her mistress's, her eyes starting. Lady Luce glared at her.