Lord Ivon and his party had been in Washington a week, when they became
aware that the Merediths, with Miss Fielding, had also arrived in the
city.
It was on one of Patti's nights at the opera that the two parties
became aware of each other's presence in opposite stage-boxes. Their
first start of surprise was succeeded on either hand by amicable nods
of pleased recognition.
This was Jewel Fielding's rôle, and she had insisted on its being
carried out to the letter by the Merediths. She did not desire that
any one should know yet of her fierce jealousy of Azalia Brooke. Time
enough yet, she said.
They had been in the city one day and night, and careful inquiry
revealed the fact that the absent Laurie was not in this city. The
Merediths were jubilant, but Jewel would not allow them to boast over
their triumph.
"He will come yet, if Lord Ivon's party stays here any time," she said.
And it occurred to her that she must hasten to get rid of her lovely,
blue-eyed rival before the return of Laurie.
The color leaped to her face, and her heart throbbed with fierce anger
when she first beheld Azalia Brooke sitting in the opera-box with Lord
Clive by her side, and Lord and Lady Ivon in the background.
Azalia's loveliness shone with all the luster of a beautiful pearl from
her shining robe of silvery-blue satin and misty lace, and her perfect
identity with the Flower Fielding of old struck her half-sister more
strongly than ever.
"How could I ever have been fooled for a minute into doubting her
identity? The resemblance is perfect, complete, and it is wonderful
that Laurie has not recognized her, and taxed her with it," she thought.
She had taken pains to convince herself of the truth of Marie's story.
She had peered into the old cellar, which was clear of water now,
during a spell of continued clear weather, and she had seen no body of
a murdered girl lying there in ghastly decay, but only the old black
water-proof cloak, which, floating on the top of the water, had so
deceived her before. Of course, her wily foes had left it there for
that purpose, as she well knew now.
After her one smile and nod at the party in the other box she sat
silent, glowering at Patti, who was enchanting the vast house with her
exquisite voice. Jewel scarcely heard it at all. She was listening to
other voices, impish, seducing ones, which said:
"You ought to crush that girl from the face of the earth. You will
never have any peace until you do, for she is the evil genius of your
life. Why hesitate or falter? It was born in you both to hate each
other. Your mothers were rivals and foes. Her mother wrecked the peace
of yours. Will you let this girl, with her siren glance, cross your
path with the same fatal intent?"
Lord Clive, when he could spare a glance from Azalia or the _diva_,
looked at the handsome trio in the opposite box, and presently he said:
"Miss Fielding is not as handsome as she was in Boston. She seems
almost to have grown thinner, and her eyes, though bright, have a worn,
haggard look, and her expression is strange and hard. Do you observe
it, Azalia?"
Azalia was obliged to answer in the affirmative. No one could deny the
change that terror and unrestrained jealousy and passion had worn in
distinctive lines on Jewel's beautiful lineaments. It was too plain to
deny. She looked years older and graver than a few weeks ago.
Azalia had grown more grave and sad, too; but she tried to hide it from
her relatives and her lover. Not for worlds would she have had them
know that she was restless and unhappy, almost beyond all bearing,
since her constrained parting with Laurie Meredith.
She could not help feeling gratified when she saw the lines of pain and
unrest on the features of her cruel half-sister.
"She has won him from me; but she is not happy," was her conclusion. "I
wonder where he is to-night. I should like to see him again. False and
fickle as I know him to be, the old fascination steals over me when I
look at his beautiful, regular profile, his clear, brown eyes, and the
soft waves of hair that I used to thread with loving fingers. Of course
he came with them to Washington, and I suppose the reason of Jewel's
angry looks is because for some reason he could not, or would not, come
to the opera with her to-night. She is a tyrant, and will rule him
with a rod of iron, that half-sister of mine! Well, I do not pity him.
He may learn in time to regret _me_, and that will be my vengeance for
his cruelty!"
She sighed bitterly; and Lord Clive, who had been looking into the
opposite box, started, and turned back to look at her.
"I beg your pardon for my inattention, dearest," he murmured, tenderly.
Azalia threw off her depression, and answered, gayly:
"I shall be quite jealous of Miss Fielding if you continue to gaze at
her with such admiring eyes."
His blue eyes gleamed with pleasure at the bare idea of jealousy on the
part of this cold, proud fiancée.
"I was not even looking at Miss Fielding," he protested. "It was the
elder Miss Meredith that attracted my attention. My dear Azalia, the
girl, with her brown eyes and tawny hair, and that stately carriage,
is really a beauty. She reminds me of the Duchess De Vere, one of the
loveliest ladies in London."
Azalia looked with pleasure at stately Edith Meredith, and also at the
pretty and _petite_ Io. Both had a look of Laurie that always made her
traitor heart beat quick and fast.
All the evening her anxious eyes kept straying to the box. Would he not
come in during the whole time?
No, he did not come, to her bitter disappointment; and the next day
she heard, with surprise, that he had not accompanied his party to
Washington at all, but had gone South on some important business.