She felt, rather than saw, Lady Janet's attention steadily and suspiciously fixed on her.

With the matron's arrival the foredoomed end of the flimsy false pretenses and the cruel delays had come.
"A friend of yours, my dear ?" "Yes, Lady Janet." "Am I acquainted with her ?" "I think not, Lady Janet." "You appear to be agitated.

Does your visitor bring bad news?
Is there anything that I can do for you ?" "You can add--immeasurably add, madam--to all your past kindness, if you will only bear with me and forgive me." "Bear with you and forgive you?
I don't understand." "I will try to explain.

Whatever else you may think of me, Lady Janet, for God's sake don't think me ungrateful!" Lady Janet held up her hand for silence.
"I dislike explanations," she said, sharply.

"Nobody ought to know that better than you.