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〃Your husband is in London；〃 the Duchess answered。
Lucille laughed with the gaiety of a child。 Like magic the lines
from beneath her eyes seemed to have vanished。 Lady Carey watched
her with pale cheeks and malevolent expression。
〃Come； Prince；〃 she cried mockingly； 〃it was only a week ago that
you assured me that my husband could not leave America。 Already
he is in London。 I must go to see him。 Oh； I insist upon it。〃
Saxe Leinitzer glanced towards the Duchess。 She laid down her
knitting。
〃My dear Countess；〃 she said firmly； 〃I beg that you will listen
to me carefully。 I speak to you for your own good； and I believe
I may add； Prince； that I speak with authority。〃
〃With authority！〃 the Prince echoed。
〃We all；〃 the Duchess continued； 〃look upon your husband's arrival
as inopportune and unfortunate。 We are all agreed that you must
be kept apart。 Certain obligations have been laid upon you。 You
could not possibly fulfil them with a husband at your elbow。 The
matter will be put plainly before your husband； as I am now putting
it before you。 He will be warned not to attempt to see or
communicate with you as your husband。 If he or you disobey the
consequences will be serious。〃
Lucille shrugged her shoulders。
〃It is easy to talk；〃 she said； 〃but you will not find it easy to
keep Victor away when he has found out where I am。〃
The Prince intervened。
〃We have no objection to your meeting；〃 he said； 〃but it must be
as acquaintances。 There must be no intermission or slackening in
your task； and that can only be properly carried out by the Countess
Radantz and from Dorset House。〃
Lucille smothered her disappointment。
〃Dear me；〃 she said。 〃You will find Victor a little hard to
persuade。〃
There was a moment's silence。 Then the Prince spoke slowly； and
watching carefully the effect of his words upon Lucille。
〃Countess；〃 he said； 〃it has been our pleasure to make of your
task so far as possible a holiday。 Yet perhaps it is wiser to
remind you that underneath the glove is an iron hand。 We do not
often threaten； but we brook no interference。 We have the means
to thwart it。 I bear no ill…will to your husband； but to you I
say this。 If he should be so mad as to defy us； to incite you to
disobedience； he must pay the penalty。〃
A servant entered。
〃Mr。 Reginald Brott is in the small drawing…room； your Grace；〃 he
announced。 〃He enquired for the Countess Radantz。〃
Lucille rose。 When the servant had disappeared she turned round
for a moment； and faced the Prince。 A spot of colour burned in her
cheeks； her eyes were bright with anger。
〃I shall remember your words； Prince；〃 she said。 〃So far from mine
being； however； a holiday task； it is one of the most wearisome and
unpleasant I ever undertook。 And in return for your warnings let
me tell you this。 If you should bring any harm upon my husband you
shall answer for it all your days to me。 I will do my duty。 Be
careful that you do not exceed yours。〃
She swept out of the room。 Lady Carey laughed mockingly at the
Prince。
〃Poor Ferdinand！〃 she exclaimed。
CHAPTER XIII
He had been kept waiting longer than usual； and he had somehow the
feeling that his visit was ill…timed； when at last she came to him。
He looked up eagerly as she entered the little reception room which
he had grown to know so well during the last few weeks； and it
struck him for the first time that her welcome was a little forced；
her eyes a little weary。
〃I haven't；〃 he said apologetically； 〃the least right to be here。〃
〃At least；〃 she murmured； 〃I may be permitted to remind you that
you are here without an invitation。〃
〃The worse luck；〃 he said； 〃that one should be necessary。〃
〃This is the one hour of the day；〃 she remarked； sinking into a
large easy…chair； 〃which I devote to repose。 How shall I preserve
my fleeting youth if you break in upon it in this ruthless manner？〃
〃If I could only truthfully say that I was sorry；〃 he answered；
〃but I can't。 I am here … and I would rather be here than anywhere
else in the world。〃
She looked at him with curving lips； and even he； who had watched
her often； could not tell whether that curve was of scorn or mirth。
〃They told me；〃 she said impressively； 〃that you were different … a
woman…hater； honest； gruff； a little cynical。 Yet those are the
speeches of your salad days。 What a disenchantment！〃
〃The things which one invents when one is young；〃 he said； 〃come
perhaps fresh from the heart in later life。 The words may sound
the same； but there is a difference。〃
〃Come；〃 she said； 〃you are improving。 That at any rate is ingenious。
Suppose you tell me now what has brought you here before four
o'clock； when I am not fit to be seen？〃
He smiled。 She shrugged her shoulders。
〃I mean it。 I haven't either my clothes or my manners on yet。
Come； explain。〃
〃I met a man who interested me；〃 he answered。 〃He comes from
America； from Lenox！〃
He saw her whiten。 He saw her fingers clutch the sides of her
chair。
〃From Lenox？ And his name？〃
〃The Duke of Souspennier！ He takes himself so seriously that he
even travels incognito。 At the hotel he calls himself Mr。 Sabin。〃
〃Indeed！〃
〃I wondered whether you might not know him？〃
〃Yes； I know him。〃
〃And in connection with this man；〃 Brott continued； 〃I have
something in the nature of a confession to make。 I forgot for
a moment your request。 I even mentioned your name。〃
The pallor had spread to her cheeks； even to her lips。 Yet her
eyes were soft and brilliant； so brilliant that they fascinated him。
〃What did he say？ What did he ask？〃
〃He asked for your address。 Don't be afraid。 I made some excuse。
I did not give it。〃
For the life of him he could not tell whether she was pleased or
disappointed。 She had turned her shoulder to him。 She was looking
steadily out of the window； and he could not see her face。
〃Why are you curious about him？〃 she asked。
〃I wish I knew。 I think only because he came from Lenox。〃
She turned her face slowly round towards him。 He was astonished to
see the dark rings under her eyes； the weariness of her smile。
〃The Duke of Souspennier；〃 she said slowly； 〃is an old and a dear
friend of mine。 When you tell me that he is in London I am anxious
because there are many here who are not his friends … who have no
cause to love him。〃
〃I was wrong then；〃 he said； 〃not to give him your address。〃
〃You were right；〃 she answered。 〃I am anxious that he should not
know it。 You will remember this？〃 He rose and bowed over her hand。
〃This has been a selfish interlude；〃 he said。 〃I have destroyed
your rest； and I almost fear that I have also disturbed your peace
of mind。 Let me take my leave and pray that you may recover both。〃
She shook her head。
〃Do not leave me；〃 she said。 〃I am low…spirited。 You shall stay
and cheer me
There was a light in his eyes which few people would have recognised。
She rose with a little laugh and stood leaning towards the fire； her
elbow upon the broad mantel； tall； graceful； alluring。 Her soft
crimson gown； with its wealth of old lace； fell around her in lines
and curves full of grace。 The pallor of her face was gone now … the
warmth of the fire burned her cheeks。 Her voice became softer。
〃Sit down and talk to me；〃 she murmured。 〃Do you remember the old
days； when you were a very timid young secretary of Sir George
Nomsom； and I was a maid…of…honour at the Viennese Court？ Dear
me； how you have changed！〃
〃Time；〃 he said； 〃will not stand still for all of us。 Yet my memory
tells me how possible it would be … for indeed those days seem but
as yesterday。〃
He looked up at her with a sudden jealousy。 His tone shook with
passion。 No one would have recognised Brott now。 In his fiercest
hour of debate； his hour of greatest trial； he had worn his mask；
always master of himself and his speech。 And now he had cast it
off。 His eyes were hungry； his lips twitched。
〃As yesterday！ Lucille； I could kill you when I think of those
days。 For twenty years your kiss has lain upon my lips … and you
… with you … it has been different。〃
She laughed soft