"Margaret ?" "Nonsense!" says Lady Rylton; the idea strikes her as ludicrous.

The surprise, the strange awakening to the young bride, who, if not in love with her husband, has at all events expected loyalty from him, has affected her not at all; but this suggestion of Margaret as a possible lover of Maurice's convulses her with amusement.

"Margaret! _No!"_ "Who, then ?" asks Tita.
"Marian--Marian Bethune." "Mrs.Bethune!" "Did you never guess?
I fancied perhaps you had heard nothing, so I felt it my duty to let you into a _little_ of the secret--to _warn_ you.

Marian might want to stay with you, for example--and Maurice----" "Mrs.Bethune may stay with me with pleasure," says Tita.

"Why not ?" "Why _not ?"_ Lady Rylton pauses as if choking.