All that Mountjoy had said and done in the way of protest, had been
really dictated by consideration for the young wife. If he questioned
his conscience, selfish delight in the happy prospect of seeing Iris
again asserted itself, as the only view with which he looked forward to
the end of the day. When the evening approached, he took the precaution
of having his own discreet and faithful servant in attendance, to
receive Lady Harry at the door of the hotel, before the ringing of the
bell could summon the porter from his lodge. On calm consideration, the
chances seemed to be in favour of her escaping detection by Lord Harry.
The jealous husband of the stage, who sooner (or later) discovers the
innocent (or guilty) couple, as the case may be, is not always the
husband of the world outside the theatre. With this fragment of
experience present in his mind, Hugh saw the door of his sitting-room
cautiously opened, at an earlier hour than he had anticipated. His
trustworthy representative introduced a lady, closely veiled--and that
lady was Iris.