He remembered that Isabel, in
separating from him in Winchester Square, had repudiated his
suggestion that her motive in doing so was the expectation of a
visitor at Prates Hotel, and it was a new pang to him to have to
suspect her of duplicity. On the other hand, he quickly said to
himself, what concern was it of his that she should have made an
appointment with a lover? Had it not been thought graceful in every
age that young ladies should make a mystery of such appointments?
Ralph gave Miss Stackpole a diplomatic answer. "I should have
thought that, with the views you expressed to me the other day, this
would satisfy you perfectly."
"That he should come to see her? That was very well, as far as it
went. It was a little plot of mine; I let him know that we were in
London, and when it had been arranged that I should spend the
evening out I sent him a word- the word we just utter to the 'wise.' I
hoped he would find her alone; I won't pretend I didn't hope that
you'd be out of the way. He came to see her, but he might as well have
stayed away."
"Isabel was cruel?"- and Ralph's face lighted with the relief of his
cousin's not having shown duplicity.
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