Alice, who was perfectly clearsighted as regarded her cousin, however much impaired her vision might have been with reference to herself, saw nothing but absolute ruin, ruin of the worst and most intolerable description, in the plan which Lady Glencora seemed to have formed.

To her it was black in the depths of hell; and she knew that to Glencora also it was black.

"I loathe myself," Glencora had said, "and the thing that I am thinking of." What was Alice to do under these circumstances?
Mr Palliser, she was aware, had quarrelled with her; for in his silent way he had first shown that he had trusted her as his wife's friend; and then, on this evening, he had shown that he had ceased to trust her.

But she cared little for this.

If she told him that she wished to speak to him, he would listen, let his opinion of her be what it might; and having listened he would surely act in some way that would serve to save his wife.