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Warburton, as I hear, is a great deal at the house. I’m afraid
you’re scandalized.’
‘No, I’m just anxious,’ Henrietta said.
‘Ah, you’re not very complimentary to Isabel! You should
have more confidence. I’ll tell you,’ the Countess added
quickly: ‘if it will be a comfort to you I engage to draw him
off.’
Miss Stackpole answered at first only with the deeper
solemnity of her gaze. ‘You don’t understand me,’ she said
after a while. ‘I haven’t the idea you seem to suppose. I’m not
afraid for Isabel-in that way. I’m only afraid she’s unhappy-
that’s what I want to get at.’
The Countess gave a dozen turns of the head; she looked
impatient and sarcastic. ‘That may very well be; for my part
I should like to know whether Osmond is.’ Miss Stackpole
had begun a little to bore her.
‘If she’s really changed that must be at the bottom of it,’
Henrietta went on.
‘You’ll see; she’ll tell you,’ said the Countess.
‘Ah, she may not tell me-that’s what I’m afraid of!’ ‘Well,
if Osmond isn’t amusing himself-in his own old way-I flat-
ter myself I shall discover it,’ the Countess rejoined.
‘I don’t care for that,’ said Henrietta.
‘I do immensely! If Isabel’s unhappy I’m very sorry for
her, but I can’t help it. I might tell her something that would
make her worse, but I can’t tell her anything that would
console her. What did she go and marry him for? If she
had listened to me she’d have got rid of him. I’ll forgive her,
however, if I find she has made things hot for him! If she

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