TheDuchesslookedupfromherknitting。“Yourhusbandhassavedyouthejourney，“sheremarked，“evenifyouwereabletoworkuponthePrince’sgoodnaturetosuchanextent。“
Lucillestartedroundeagerly。
“Whatdoyoumean？“shecried。
“YourhusbandisinLondon，“theDuchessanswered。
Lucillelaughedwiththegaietyofachild。Likemagicthelinesfrombeneathhereyesseemedtohavevanished。LadyCareywatchedherwithpalecheeksandmalevolentexpression。
“Come，Prince，“shecriedmockingly，“itwasonlyaweekagothatyouassuredmethatmyhusbandcouldnotleaveAmerica。AlreadyheisinLondon。Imustgotoseehim。Oh，Iinsistuponit。“
SaxeLeinitzerglancedtowardstheDuchess。Shelaiddownherknitting。
“MydearCountess，“shesaidfirmly，“Ibegthatyouwilllistentomecarefully。Ispeaktoyouforyourowngood，andIbelieveImayadd，Prince，thatIspeakwithauthority。“
“Withauthority！“thePrinceechoed。
“Weall，“theDuchesscontinued，“lookuponyourhusband’sarrivalasinopportuneandunfortunate。Weareallagreedthatyoumustbekeptapart。Certainobligationshavebeenlaiduponyou。Youcouldnotpossiblyfulfilthemwithahusbandatyourelbow。Thematterwillbeputplainlybeforeyourhusband，asIamnowputtingitbeforeyou。Hewillbewarnednottoattempttoseeorcommunicatewithyouasyourhusband。Ifheoryoudisobeytheconsequenceswillbeserious。“
Lucilleshruggedhershoulders。
“Itiseasytotalk，“shesaid，“butyouwillnotfinditeasytokeepVictorawaywhenhehasfoundoutwhereIam。“
ThePrinceintervened。
“Wehavenoobjectiontoyourmeeting，“hesaid，“butitmustbeasacquaintances。Theremustbenointermissionorslackeninginyourtask，andthatcanonlybeproperlycarriedoutbytheCountessRadantzandfromDorsetHouse。“
Lucillesmotheredherdisappointment。
“Dearme，“shesaid。“YouwillfindVictoralittlehardtopersuade。“
Therewasamoment’ssilence。ThenthePrincespokeslowly，andwatchingcarefullytheeffectofhiswordsuponLucille。
“Countess，“hesaid，“ithasbeenourpleasuretomakeofyourtasksofaraspossibleaholiday。Yetperhapsitiswisertoremindyouthatunderneaththegloveisanironhand。Wedonotoftenthreaten，butwebrooknointerference。Wehavethemeanstothwartit。Ibearnoill-willtoyourhusband，buttoyouI
saythis。Ifheshouldbesomadastodefyus，toinciteyoutodisobedience，hemustpaythepenalty。“
Aservantentered。
“Mr。ReginaldBrottisinthesmalldrawing-room，yourGrace，“heannounced。“HeenquiredfortheCountessRadantz。“
Lucillerose。Whentheservanthaddisappearedsheturnedroundforamoment，andfacedthePrince。Aspotofcolourburnedinhercheeks，hereyeswerebrightwithanger。
“Ishallrememberyourwords，Prince，“shesaid。“Sofarfromminebeing，however，aholidaytask，itisoneofthemostwearisomeandunpleasantIeverundertook。Andinreturnforyourwarningsletmetellyouthis。Ifyoushouldbringanyharmuponmyhusbandyoushallanswerforitallyourdaystome。Iwilldomyduty。Becarefulthatyoudonotexceedyours。“
Shesweptoutoftheroom。LadyCareylaughedmockinglyatthePrince。
“PoorFerdinand！“sheexclaimed。
Hehadbeenkeptwaitinglongerthanusual，andhehadsomehowthefeelingthathisvisitwasill-timed，whenatlastshecametohim。
Helookedupeagerlyassheenteredthelittlereceptionroomwhichhehadgrowntoknowsowellduringthelastfewweeks，anditstruckhimforthefirsttimethatherwelcomewasalittleforced，hereyesalittleweary。
“Ihaven’t，“hesaidapologetically，“theleastrighttobehere。“
“Atleast，“shemurmured，“Imaybepermittedtoremindyouthatyouareherewithoutaninvitation。“
“Theworseluck，“hesaid，“thatoneshouldbenecessary。“
“Thisistheonehouroftheday，“sheremarked，sinkingintoalargeeasy-chair，“whichIdevotetorepose。HowshallIpreservemyfleetingyouthifyoubreakinuponitinthisruthlessmanner？“
“IfIcouldonlytruthfullysaythatIwassorry，“heanswered，“butIcan’t。Iamhere-andIwouldratherbeherethananywhereelseintheworld。“
Shelookedathimwithcurvinglips；andevenhe，whohadwatchedheroften，couldnottellwhetherthatcurvewasofscornormirth。
“Theytoldme，“shesaidimpressively，“thatyouweredifferent-awoman-hater，honest，gruff，alittlecynical。Yetthosearethespeechesofyoursaladdays。Whatadisenchantment！“
“Thethingswhichoneinventswhenoneisyoung，“hesaid，“comeperhapsfreshfromtheheartinlaterlife。Thewordsmaysoundthesame，butthereisadifference。“
“Come，“shesaid，“youareimproving。Thatatanyrateisingenious。
Supposeyoutellmenowwhathasbroughtyouherebeforefouro’clock，whenIamnotfittobeseen？“
Hesmiled。Sheshruggedhershoulders。
“Imeanit。Ihaven’teithermyclothesormymannersonyet。
Come，explain。“
“Imetamanwhointerestedme，“heanswered。“HecomesfromAmerica，fromLenox！“
Hesawherwhiten。Hesawherfingersclutchthesidesofherchair。
“FromLenox？Andhisname？“
“TheDukeofSouspennier！Hetakeshimselfsoseriouslythatheeventravelsincognito。AtthehotelhecallshimselfMr。Sabin。“
“Indeed！“
“Iwonderedwhetheryoumightnotknowhim？“
“Yes，Iknowhim。“
“Andinconnectionwiththisman，“Brottcontinued，“Ihavesomethinginthenatureofaconfessiontomake。Iforgotforamomentyourrequest。Ievenmentionedyourname。“
Thepallorhadspreadtohercheeks，eventoherlips。Yethereyesweresoftandbrilliant，sobrilliantthattheyfascinatedhim。
“Whatdidhesay？Whatdidheask？“
“Heaskedforyouraddress。Don’tbeafraid。Imadesomeexcuse。
Ididnotgiveit。“
Forthelifeofhimhecouldnottellwhethershewaspleasedordisappointed。Shehadturnedhershouldertohim。Shewaslookingsteadilyoutofthewindow，andhecouldnotseeherface。
“Whyareyoucuriousabouthim？“sheasked。
“IwishIknew。IthinkonlybecausehecamefromLenox。“
Sheturnedherfaceslowlyroundtowardshim。Hewasastonishedtoseethedarkringsunderhereyes，thewearinessofhersmile。
“TheDukeofSouspennier，“shesaidslowly，“isanoldandadearfriendofmine。WhenyoutellmethatheisinLondonIamanxiousbecausetherearemanyherewhoarenothisfriends-whohavenocausetolovehim。“
“Iwaswrongthen，“hesaid，“nottogivehimyouraddress。“
“Youwereright，“sheanswered。“Iamanxiousthatheshouldnotknowit。Youwillrememberthis？“Heroseandbowedoverherhand。
“Thishasbeenaselfishinterlude，“hesaid。“Ihavedestroyedyourrest，andIalmostfearthatIhavealsodisturbedyourpeaceofmind。Letmetakemyleaveandpraythatyoumayrecoverboth。“
Sheshookherhead。
“Donotleaveme，“shesaid。“Iamlow-spirited。YoushallstayandcheermeTherewasalightinhiseyeswhichfewpeoplewouldhaverecognised。
Sherosewithalittlelaughandstoodleaningtowardsthefire，herelbowuponthebroadmantel，tall，graceful，alluring。Hersoftcrimsongown，withitswealthofoldlace，fellaroundherinlinesandcurvesfullofgrace。Thepallorofherfacewasgonenow-thewarmthofthefireburnedhercheeks。Hervoicebecamesofter。
