"He can't possibly find it out. I detest Winterfield, but let us do him
justice. He is no fool. He has his position in the world to keep up--and
that is enough of itself to close his lips. And as for others, there are
only three people now in England who _could_ betray you. I suppose you
can trust your mother, and Lord Loring, and me?"
It was needless to answer such a question as that. Before Stella could
speak again, Lord Loring's voice was audible outside the door. "What!
talking still," he exclaimed. "Not in bed yet?"
"Come in!" cried his wife. "Let us hear what my husband thinks," she
said to Stella.
Lord Loring listened with the closest attention while the subject under
discussion was communicated to him. When the time came to give his
opinion, he sided unhesitatingly with his wife.
"If the fault was yours, even in the slightest degree," he said to
Stella, "Romayne would have a right to be taken into your confidence.
But, my dear child, we, who know the truth, know you to be a pure and
innocent woman. You go to Romayne in every way worthy of him, and you
know that he loves you.
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