Her heart stopped beating, and she could scarcely support herself.

Such, however, was the control she exercised over herself that, though filled with terror, her demeanour remained unaltered.

She was not long kept in suspense.

Fixing his searching gaze upon her, the Earl of Salisbury observed in a severe tone, "Viviana Radcliffe, I ask you for the last time whether you will avow the truth ?" No answer was returned.
"I will not disguise from you," continued the Earl, "that your youth, your beauty, your constancy, and, above all, your apparent innocence, have deeply interested me, as well as the other noble persons here assembled to interrogate you, and who would willingly save you from the sufferings you will necessarily undergo, from a mistaken fidelity to the heinous traitors with whom you are so unhappily leagued.

I would give you time to reflect did I think the delay would answer any good purpose.