He beckoned Rotherby, and held the paper under his eyes.

"What date is there--the date of birth ?" Rotherby read: "The third of January of 1690." Mr.Caryll folded the paper again.

"That will help your ladyship to understand how it might happen that my lord remained in ignorance of my birth." He sighed as he replaced the case in his pocket.

"I would he had known before he died," said he, almost as if speaking to himself.
And now her ladyship lost her temper.

She saw Rotherby wavering, and it angered her; and angered, she committed a grave error.