She had found the only means of putting an end to the terrible scene.

For, notwithstanding his menace, she knew that Maud's husband always recoiled before the young girl, the friend of his wife, of whose delicacy and sensibility he was aware.
Gorka was capable of the most dangerous and most cruel deeds, in an excess of passion augmented by vanity.
He had in him a chivalrous element which would paralyze his frenzy before Alba.

As for the immorality of that combination of defence which involved her daughter in her rupture with a vindictive lover, the Countess did not think of that.

She often said: "She is my comrade, she is my friend."....

And she thought so.