Blind Love

All that Mountjoy had said and done in the way of protest, had been

really dictated by consideration for the young wife. If he questioned

his conscience, selfish delight in the happy prospect of seeing Iris

again asserted itself, as the only view with which he looked forward to

the end of the day. When the evening approached, he took the precaution

of having his own discreet and faithful servant in attendance, to

receive Lady Harry at the door of the hotel, before the ringing of the

bell could summon the porter from his lodge. On calm consideration, the

chances seemed to be in favour of her escaping detection by Lord Harry.

The jealous husband of the stage, who sooner (or later) discovers the

innocent (or guilty) couple, as the case may be, is not always the

husband of the world outside the theatre. With this fragment of

experience present in his mind, Hugh saw the door of his sitting-room

cautiously opened, at an earlier hour than he had anticipated. His

trustworthy representative introduced a lady, closely veiled--and that

lady was Iris.