"A

s a way of thanking me, Betsy asked me to stay for dinner - all but begged me. We had not dined together since the green-house was complete and I was not disposed to do so again, now that her intentions towards me had become clear. But she was so insistent, and promised my favorite dish, and reminded me of the excellent stock of wine she had on hand... and again I was persuaded. And so I followed her into her home, as Chesterton watched me, his furry little face resting on his mistress's shoulder.

During our meal I attempted several times to tell her about Lady Hilliard's niece, but always found myself tongue-tied. As much as I resented Betsy's designs on my person, we did get on well and she was the only person I knew who shared my aesthetic tastes. Once she knew of my feelings for the niece - I had not yet met her but was already convinced she was the future Mrs. Acton - our friendship would be altered and possibly ended. I was not in a hurry to end it, even with the inconvenience of love unrequited.

We had a lovely meal and afterwards she insisted that I stay and enjoy an after-dinner drink and cigar (for myself, Betsy did not smoke). She served a green liquor - absinthe she called it - and it was quite potent. I must have mistaken exactly how much I could tolerate of the drink, for I was rendered unconscious and remained in that state all night on Betsy's sofa. When I woke in the morning I was supine on the sofa, wearing a dressing gown and Betsy watching me, a breakfast tea setting at the ready in anticipation of my eventual consciousness. I did not enquire how I came to be wearing her late husband's clothing, rather preferring not to hear the possible answer, and after a hasty breakfast, headed for home. I felt strange for the rest of the morning - but in a way that was different from the ordinary discomfort experienced after an evening of overindulgence. I attributed it to the absinthe."

I have a piece of intelligence about this incident that Acton had not - for I have Mrs. Corning's diary. Acton did not become unconscious due to overindulgence, but rather because he had been drugged by Mrs. Corning. Her diary entry of the evening's events is quite appalling.

(To be continued...)