A week later Dorian Gray was at his house in the country, where he had invited Lord Henry and several other friends. Among them was the pretty Lady Monmouth and her much older husband. Lady Monmouth was amusing and clever, and seemed to like Dorian Gray very much. One afternoon, as they laughed and talked together during tea, Dorian went out to fetch a flower for Lady Monmouth’s dress. Lord Henry smiled at Lady Monmouth. ‘I hope you’re not in love with Dorian, my dear. He’s very dangerous.’
She laughed. ‘Oh, men are much more interesting when they’re dangerous.’ Just then they heard the sound of a heavy fall. Lord Henry ran out of the room and found Dorian lying unconscious on the floor. When Dorian opened his eyes, Lord Henry said, ‘My dear Dorian, you must take care of yourself. You’re not well.’ Dorian stood up slowly. ‘I’m all right, Henry, I’m all right.’ As he dressed for dinner in his room, Dorian remembered what he had seen and cold fear ran through him like a knife. He had seen a face watching him at the window and he had recognized. It was the face of James Vane.
