A Struggle for a Ring — page 387: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

“] WILL SUFFER FOR HIM.” 323 remain at Roseneath twenty-four hours longer. She would -have dismissed her without speaking of her faults to the countess, had she dared; but, in her way, Lady Waldrove liked her young companion, and would have resented any interference with her. Lady Gertrude told her story gently as she could, but the countess was highly indignant. Was it possible that this story could be true—that her son, Lord Carsdale, the heir of Roseneath, had so far forgotten him- self as to enter into an intrigue of any kind with her com- panion? ‘‘Are you quite sure that you have not dreamed this, Gertrude?” she asked, sharply. ‘‘I must confess it seems far more like a dream than a reality to me.” ‘*T saw and heard it, mamma,” was the straightforward reply; ‘‘I can add no more.” Could it be possible, Lady Waldrove asked herself, that her son had formed any kind of infatuation for this Ailie Derwent, and that that prevented him from making Lady Ethel his wife? ‘‘I should go mad if that has happened!” cried the countess. But no, she comforted herself, that — was impossible. Brought up as he had been, Lord Cars- dale was not likely to make such a terrible mistake. Then. the whole force of her anger and indignation fell upon Ailie Derwent. That she should dare to try to inveigle the heir of Roseneath—that she should dare to get up any kind of intrigue with him—it was too audacious. ‘That girl shall suffer for it!” she said. And Lady Gertrude answered: ‘Tt seems to me, mamma, Lord Carsdale deserves pun- - ishment, not his victim.” - You do not know of what you are speaking, Ger- trude!” cried the countess. ‘‘A woman of your age ought to know better.” Eecom G 00 cS CoO