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〃Is there a meeting this month？〃
They all looked anxiously at the printed letter。
〃Yes！ The twenty…third of December。 Put it down in your book；
Amelia。〃 Amelia； then and there； put it down among the engagements for
the latter end of the month。 And Natalie's unacknowledged husband
placidly looked on。
So did the merciless irony of circumstances make Launce the innocent
means of exposing his own secret to discovery。 Thanks to his success in
laying his hand on the wrong music…book； there would now be a meeting
two good days before the elopement could take placebetween the lord's
daughters and the rector's wife！
The guests of the evening began to appear by twos and threes。 The
gentlemen below stairs left the dinner…table； and joined them。
The small drawing…room was pleasantly filled； and no more。 Sir
Joseph Graybrooke； taking Turlington's hand； led him eagerly to their host。
The talk in the dining…room had turned on finance。 Lord Winwood was not
quite satisfied with some of his foreign investments； and Sir Joseph's 〃dear
Richard〃 was the very man to give him a little sound advice。 The three laid
their heads together in a corner。 Launce （watching them） slyly pressed
Natalie's hand。 A renowned 〃virtuoso〃 had arrived； and was thundering on
the piano。 The attention of the guests generally was absorbed in the
performance。 A fairer chance of sending Launce for the fan could not
possibly have offered itself。 While the financial discussion was still
proceeding； the married lovers were ensconced together alone in the
boudoir。
Lady Winwood （privately observant of their absence） kept her eye on
the corner； watching Richard Turlington。
He was talking earnestlywith his back toward the company。 He
neither moved nor looked round。 It came to Lord Winwood's turn to speak。
He preserved the same position； listening。 Sir Joseph took up the
conversation next。 Then his attention wanderedhe knew beforehand what
Sir Joseph would say。 His eyes turned anxiously toward the place in which
he had left Natalie。 Lord Winwood said a word。 His head turned back
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Miss or Mrs。？
again toward the corner。 Sir Joseph put an objection。 He glanced once
more over his shoulderthis time at the place in which Launce had been
standing。 The next moment his host recalled his attention； and made it
impossible for him to continue his scrutiny of the room。 At the same times
two among the evening guests； bound for another party； approached to
take leave of the lady of the house。 Lady Winwood was obliged to rise；
and attend to them。 They had something to say to her before they left； and
they said it at terrible length； standing so as to intercept her view of the
proceedings of the enemy。 When she had got rid of them at last； she
lookedand behold Lord Winwood and Sir Joseph were the only
occupants of the corner！
Delaying one moment； to set the 〃virtuoso〃 thundering once more；
Lady Winwood slipped out of the room and crossed the landing。 At the
entrance to the empty drawing…room she heard Turlington's voice； low and
threatening； in the boudoir。 Jealousy has a Second Sight of its own。 He had
looked in the right place at startingand； oh heavens！ he had caught them。
Her ladyship's courage was beyond dispute； but she turned pale as she
approached the entrance to the boudoir。
There stood Natalieat once angry and afraidbetween the man to
whom she was ostensibly engaged； and the man to whom she was actually
married。 Turlington's rugged face expressed a martyrdom of suppressed
fury。 Launcein the act of offering Natalie her fansmiled； with the cool
superiority of a man who knew that he had won his advantage； and who
triumphed in knowing it。
〃I forbid you to take your fan from that man's hands；〃 said Turlington；
speaking to Natalie； and pointing to Launce。
〃Isn't it rather too soon to begin 'forbidding'？〃 asked Lady Winwood；
good…humoredly。
〃Exactly what I say！〃 exclaimed Launce。 〃It seems necessary to
remind Mr。 Turlington that he is not married to Natalie yet！〃
Those last words were spoken in a tone which made both the women
tremble inwardly for results。 Lady Winwood took the fan from Launce
with one hand； and took Natalie's arm with the other。
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Miss or Mrs。？
〃There is your fan； my dear；〃 she said； in her easy off…hand manner。
〃Why do you allow these two barbarous men to keep you here while the
great Bootmann is playing the Nightmare Sonata in the next room？
Launce！ Mr。 Turlington！ follow me； and learn to be musical directly！ You
have only to shut your eyes； and you will fancy you hear four modern
German composers playing； instead of one； and not the ghost of a melody
among all the four。 〃She led the way out with Natalie； and whispered； 〃Did
he catch you？〃 Natalie whispered back； 〃I heard him in time。 He only
caught us looking for the fan。〃 The two men waited behind to have two
words together alone in the boudoir。
〃This doesn't end here； Mr。 Linzie！〃
Launce smiled satirically。 〃For once I agree with you；〃 he answered。
〃It doesn't end here； as you say。〃
Lady Winwood stopped； and looked back at them from the drawing…
room door。 They were keeping her waitingthey had no choice but to
follow the mistress of the house。
Arrived in the next room； both Turlington and Launce resumed their
places among the guests with the same object in view。 As a necessary
result of the scene in the boudoir； each had his own special remonstrance
to address to Sir Joseph。 Even here； Launce was beforehand with
Turlington。 He was the first to get possession of Sir Joseph's private ear。
His complaint took the form of a protest against Turlington's jealousy； and
an appeal for a reconsideration of the sentence which excluded him from
Muswell Hill。 Watching them from a distance； Turlington's suspicious eye
detected the appearance of something unduly confidential in the colloquy
between the two。 Under cover of the company； he stole behind them and
listened。
The great Bootmann had arrived at that part of the Nightmare Sonata
in which musical sound； produced principally with the left hand； is made
to describe； beyond all possibility of mistake； the rising of the moon in a
country church…yard and a dance of Vampires round a maiden's grave。 Sir
Joseph； having no chance against the Vampires in a whisper； was obliged
to raise his voice to make himself audible in answering and comforting
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Miss or Mrs。？
Launce。 〃I sincerely sympathize with you；〃 Turlington heard him say； 〃and
Natalie feels about it as I do。 But Richard is an obstacle in our way。 We
must look to the consequences； my dear boy； supposing Richard found us
out。〃 He nodded kindly to his nephew； and； declining to pursue the subject；
moved away to another part of the room。
Turlington's jealous distrust； wrought to the highest pitch of irritability
for weeks past； instantly associated the words he had just heard with the
words spoken by Launce in the boudoir； which had reminded him that he
was not married to Natalie yet。 Was there treachery at work under the
surface？ and was the object to persuade weak Sir Joseph to reconsider his
daughter's contemplated marriage in a sense favorable to Launce？
Turlington's blind suspicion overleaped at a bound all the manifest
improbabilities which forbade such a conclusion as this。 After an instant's
consideration with himself； he decided on keeping his own counsel； and
on putting Sir Joseph's good faith then and there to a test which he could
rely on as certain to take Natalie's father by surprise。
〃Graybrooke！〃
Sir Joseph started at the sight of his future son…in…law's face。
〃My dear Richard； you are looking very strangely！ Is the heat