Ravenshoe. By Henry Kingsley.

230 RAVENSHOE.
turned away, gliding through a door at the further end of the hall,
and was gone.
Charles's heart was leaping and beating madly, but he heard
another door open, and lay still.
Adelaide came out of a door opposite to the one into which
Ellen had passed. Charles was not surprised. He was beyond
surprise. But, when he saw her and Ellen in the same house, in
one instant, with the quickness of lightning, he understood it all.
It was Welter had tempted Ellen from Ravenshoe! Fool! fool!
he might have prevented it once if he had only guessed.
If he had any doubt as to where he was now, it was soon dispelled. Lord Welter came rapidly out of the door after Adelaide,
and called her in a whisper, " Adelaide."
"Well," she said, turning round sharply.
"Come back, do you hear?" said Lord Welter. " Where the
deuce are you going?"
"To my own room."
" Come back, I tell you," said Lord Welter savagely, in a low
voice. " You are going to spoil everything with your confounded
airs."
"I shall not come back. I am not going to act as a decoyduck to that man, or any other man. Let me go, Welter."
Lord Welter was very near having to let her go with a vengeance. Charles was ready for a spring, but watched, and waited
his time. Lord Welter had only caught her firmly by the wrist
to detain her. He was not hurting her.
" Look you here, my Lady Welter," he said slowly and distinctly. "Listen to what I've got to say, and don't try the shadow
of a tantrum with me, for I won't have it for one moment. I
don't mind your chaff and nonsense in public; it blinds people,
it is racy and attracts people; but in private I am master, do you
hear? Master. You know you are afraid of me, and have good
cause to be, by Jove. You are shaking now. Go back to that
room."
"I won't, I won't, I won't. Not without you, Welter. How
can you use me so cruelly, Welter? 0 Welter! how can you
be such a villain? "
"You conceited fool," said Lord Welter, contemptuously. " Do
you think he wants to make love to you?"
"You know he does, Welter; you know it," said Adelaide,
passionately.
Lord Welter laughed good-naturedly. (He could be goodnatured.) He drew her towards him, and kissed her. "My
poor little girl," he said, " if I thought that, I would break his
neck. But it is utterly wide of the truth. Look here, Adelaide; you are as safe from insult as my wife as you were at