Lord George knew, but then she trusted that a benevolent,
true-hearted Corsair, such as was Lord George, would never tell the story
against her. The thieves knew, but surely they, if not detected, would
never tell. And if the story were told by thieves, or even by a Corsair,
at any rate half the world would not believe it. What she had feared--had
feared till the dread had nearly overcome her--was public exposure at the
hands of the police. If she could escape that, the world might stilll be
bright before her. And the interest taken in her by such persons as the
Duke of Omnium and Lady Glencora was evidence not only that she had
escaped it hitherto, but also that she was in a fair way to escape it
altogether. Three weeks ago she would have given up half her income to
have been able to steal out of London without leaving a trace behind her.
Three weeks ago Mrs. Carbuncle was treating her with discourtesy, and she
was left alone nearly the whole day in her sick bedroom. Things were going
better with her now. She was recovering her position. Mr. Camperdown, who
had been the first to attack her, was, so to say, "nowhere." He had
acknowledged himself beaten.
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