226 The Real Charlotte, 



" He appears to tell you a good deal about his business 

 affairs," she said, her eyes quelling the feeble resistance in 

 Mrs. Lambert's ; " but he doesn't seem to tell you the truth 

 about other matters. He's telling ye lies about what takes 

 him to Tally Ho ; it isn't to talk business — " the colour 

 deepened in her face. " I tell ye once for all, that as sure 

 as God's in heaven he's fascinated with that girl ! This isn't 

 the beginning of it — ye needn't think it ! She flirted with 

 him in Dublin, and though she doesn't care two snaps of 

 her fingers for him she's flirting with him now ! " 



The real Charlotte had seldom been nearer the surface 

 than at this moment ; and Mrs. Lambert cowered before the 

 manifestation. 



" You're very unkind to me, Charlotte," she said in a voice 

 that was tremulous with fright and anger ; " I wonder at 

 you, that you would say such things to me about my own 

 husband." 



" Well, perhaps you'd rather I said it to you now in con- 

 fidence than that every soul in Lismoyle should be prating 

 and talking about it, as they will be if ye don't put down 

 yer foot, and tell Roddy he's making a fool of himself ! " 



Mrs. Lambert remained stunned for a few seconds at the 

 bare idea of putting down her foot where Roderick was con- 

 cerned, or of even insinuating that that supreme being could 

 make a fool of himself, and then her eyes filled with tears 

 of mortification. 



" He is not making a fool of himself, Charlotte," she said, 

 endeavouring to pluck up spirit, "and you've no right to say 

 anything of the kind. You might have more respect for 

 your family than to be trying to raise scandal this way and 

 upsetting mc, and I not able for it 1 " 



Charlotte looked at her, rmd kept back with an effort the 

 torrent of bullying fury that was seething in her. She had 

 no objection to upsetting Mrs. Lambert, but she preferred 

 that hysterics should be deferred until she had established 

 her point. Why she wished to establish it she did not ex- 

 plain to herself, but her restless jealousy, combined with her 

 intolerance of the Fool's Paradise in which Mrs. Lambert 

 had entrenched herself, made it impossible for her to leave 

 the subject alone. 



** I think ye know it's not my habit to raise scandal, Lucy, 



