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He smiled at her sadly enough； but she was reassured。
〃You need have no fear；〃 he told her。 〃With politics … I have
finished。 Why I am here； what I am here for I will tell you very
soon。 It is to find one whom I have lost … and who is dear to me。
Forgive me if for to…day I say no more。 Come； if you will you shall
drive me to my hotel。〃
He offered his arm with the courtly grace which he knew so well how
to assume。 Together they passed out to her carriage。
CHAPTER XII
After all；〃 Lady Carey sighed； throwing down a racing calendar
and lighting a cigarette； 〃London is the only thoroughly civilized
Anglo…Saxon capital in the world。 Please don't look at me like
that； Duchess。 I know … this is your holy of holies； but the Duke
smokes here … I've seen him。 My cigarettes are very tiny and very
harmless。〃
The Duchess； who wore gold…rimmed spectacles； and was a person of
weight in the councils of the Primrose League； went calmly on with
her knitting。
〃My dear Muriel；〃 she said； 〃if my approval or disapproval was of
the slightest moment to you； it is not your smoking of which I
should first complain。 I know； however； that you consider yourself
a privileged person。 Pray do exactly as you like； but don't drop
the ashes upon the carpet。〃
Lady Carey laughed softly。
〃I suppose I am rather a thorn in your side as a relative；〃 she
remarked。 〃You must put it down to the roving blood of my ancestors。
I could no more live the life of you other women than I could fly。
I must have excitement； movement； all the time。〃
A tall； heavily built man； who had been reading some letters at the
other end of the room； came sauntering up to them。
〃Well；〃 he said； 〃you assuredly live up to your principles； for you
travel all over the world as though it were one vast playground。〃
〃And sometimes；〃 she remarked； 〃my journeys are not exactly
successful。 I know that that is what you are dying to say。〃
〃On the contrary；〃 he said； 〃I do not blame you at all for this last
affair。 You brought Lucille here； which was excellent。 Your
failure as regards Mr。 Sabin is scarcely to be fastened upon you。
It is Horser whom we hold responsible for that。〃
She laughed。
〃Poor Horser！ It was rather rough to pit a creature like that
against Souspennier。〃
The man shrugged his shoulders。
〃Horser；〃 he said； 〃may not be brilliant； but he had a great
organisation at his back。 Souspennier was without friends or
influence。 The contest should scarcely have been so one…sided。 To
tell you the truth； my dear Muriel； I am more surprised that you
yourself should have found the task beyond you。〃
Lady Carey's face darkened。
〃It was too soon after the loss of Lucille；〃 she said； 〃and besides；
there was his vanity to be reckoned with。 It was like a challenge
to him； and he had taken up the glove before I returned to New York。〃
The Duchess looked up from her work。
〃Have you had any conversation with my husband； Prince？〃 she asked。
The Prince of Saxe Leinitzer twirled his heavy moustache and sank
into a chair between the two women。
〃I have had a long talk with him；〃 he announced。 〃And the result？〃
the Duchess asked。
〃The result I fear you would scarcely consider satisfactory；〃 the
Prince declared。 〃The moment that I hinted at the existence of
… er … conditions of which you； Duchess； are aware； he showed alarm；
and I had all that I could do to reassure him。 I find it everywhere
amongst your aristocracy … this stubborn confidence in the existence
of the reigning order of things； this absolute detestation of
anything approaching intrigue。〃
〃My dear man； I hope you don't include me；〃 Lady Carey exclaimed。
〃You； Lady Muriel；〃 he answered； with a slow smile； 〃are an
exception to all rules。 No； you are a rule by yourself。〃
〃To revert to the subject then for a moment；〃 the Duchess said
stiffly。 〃You have made no progress with the Duke？〃
〃None whatever；〃 Saxe Leinitzer admitted。 〃He was sufficiently
emphatic to inspire me with every caution。 Even now I have doubts
as to whether I have altogether reassured him。 I really believe；
dear Duchess； that we should be better off if you could persuade
him to go and live upon his estates。〃
The Duchess smiled grimly。
〃Whilst the House of Lords exists；〃 she remarked； 〃you will never
succeed in keeping Algernon away from London。 He is always on the
point of making a speech； although he never does it。〃
〃I have heard of that speech；〃 Lady Carey drawled； from her low
seat。 〃It is to be a thoroughly enlightening affair。 All the
great social questions are to be permanently disposed of。 The
Prime Minister will come on his knees and beg Algernon to take his
place。〃
The Duchess looked up over her knitting。；
〃Algernon is at least in earnest；〃 she remarked drily。 〃And he
has the good conscience of a clean living and honest man。〃
〃What an unpleasant possession it must be；〃 Lady Carey remarked
sweetly。 〃I disposed of my conscience finally many years ago。 I
am not sure； but I believe that it was the Prince to whom I
entrusted the burying of it。 By the bye； Lucille will be here
directly； I suppose。 Is she to be told of Souspennier's arrival
in London？〃
〃I imagine；〃 the Prince said； with knitted brows； 〃that it will not
be wise to keep it from her。 It is impossible to conceal her
whereabouts； and the papers will very shortly acquaint her with his。〃
〃And；〃 Lady Carey asked； 〃how does the little affair progress？〃
〃Admirably；〃 the Prince answered。 〃Already some of the Society
papers are beginning to chatter about the friendship existing
between a Cabinet Minister and a beautiful Hungarian lady of title；
etc。； etc。 The fact of it is that Brott is in deadly earnest。 He
gives himself away every time。 If Lucille has not lost old
cleverness she will be able to twist him presently around her little
finger。〃
〃If only some one would twist him on the rack；〃 the Duchess
murmured vindictively。 〃I tried to read one of his speeches the other
day。 It was nothing more nor less than blasphemy。 I do not think that I
am naturally a cruel woman； but I would hand such men over to the
public executioner with joy。〃
Lucille came in； as beautiful as ever； but with tired lines under
her full dark eyes。 She sank into a low chair with listless grace。
〃Reginald Brott again； I suppose；〃 she remarked curtly。 〃I wish
the man had never existed。〃
〃That is a very cruel speech； Lucille；〃 the Prince said； with a
languishing glance towards her； 〃for if it had not been for Brott
we should never have dared to call you out from your seclusion。〃
〃Then more heartily than ever；〃 Lucille declared； 〃I wish the man
had never been born。 You cannot possibly flatter yourself； Prince；
that your summons was a welcome one。〃
He shrugged his shoulders。
〃I shall never； be able to believe；〃 he said； 〃that the Countess
Radantz was able to do more than support existence in a small
American town … without society； with no scope for her ambitions；
detached altogether from the whole civilized world。〃
〃'Which only goes to prove； Prince；〃 Lucille remarked contemptuously；
〃that you do not understand me in the least。 As a place of residence
Lenox would compare very favourably with … say Homburg； and for
companionship you forget my husband。 I never met the woman yet who
did not prefer the company of one man； if only it were the right one；
to the cosmopolitan throng we call society。〃
〃It sounds idyllic； but very gauche；〃 Lady Carey remarked drily。
〃In effect it is rather a blow on the cheek for you； Prince。 Of
course you know that the Prince is in love with you； Lucille？〃
〃I wish he were；〃 she answered； looking lazily out of the window。
He bent over her。
〃Why？〃
〃I would persuade him to send me home again；〃 she answered coldly。
The Duchess looked up from her knitting。 〃Your husband has saved
you the journey；〃 she remarked； 〃even if you were able to work upon
the Prince's good nature to such an extent。〃
Lucille started round eagerly。
〃What do you mean？〃 she cried。
〃Your husband is in London；〃 the Duchess answered。
Lucille laughed with the gaiety of a child。 Like magic the