“You are deceived, Madame,” said Felton, blushing; “Lord de Winter is not capable of such a crime.”

Good , said Milady to herself; without thinking what it is, he calls it a crime! Then aloud, “The friend of that wretch is capable of everything.”

“Whom do you call ‘that wretch?’ ” asked Felton.

“Are there, then, in England two men to whom such an epithet can be applied?”

“You mean George Villiers?” asked Felton, whose looks became excited.

“Whom Pagans and unbelieving Gentiles call Duke of Buckingham,” replied Milady. “I could not have thought that there was an Englishman in all England who would have required so long an explanation to make him understand of whom I was speaking.”