The Shadow of Tyburn Tree

to women. I met him at the Duchess of Devon­shire's several times this winter, and on the very first occasion he showed the good taste to express the most ardent desire to become my lover.'

Roger frowned. ' 'Tis my belief that you have asked him down with the deliberate intent to make me jealous.'

'Lud no, dear man!' she replied airily. 'We are both, thank God, far too sophisticated to fall a prey to such a sordid emotion. Did we not agree when first we became lovers that if either of us should choose to be unfaithful to the other no word-of reproach should mar our friendship?'

'I know it!' Roger stood up and walked over to the window. The dark blue eyes that he had inherited from his Highland mother had become a shade darker, as he went on a little sullenly. 'Yet I am not of the temperament to stand idly by and watch another man making a play for your favours.'

Georgina stretched and yawned. 'Then m'dear, you are about to become a plaguey bore, and will be going back upon our clear under­standing. We agreed that we would remain free to indulge in casual amours if we wished, and tell or not tell of them as we felt inclined; to ignore such frailties in one another or, if in the case of either such a matter developed into a grande affaire, to separate without ill-will. 'Tis the only condition upon which I have ever entered on a liaison, or ever will; and you entirely agreed with me that, only so could two people live together and be certain of escaping sordid, wearing scenes of futile recrimination.'

Turning back from the window Roger said quietly, 'That was our pact, and I will honour it. But tell me, frankly. Is it your intention to start an affair with the Russian this week-end?'

She shrugged. 'You know better than anyone how varied are my moods, and how unpredictable. How can I tell in advance what my feelings may be towards him upon closer acquaintance.'

He scowled at her for a moment, then said reproachfully. 'I've felt for the past week or two that you were becoming restless, and that we were no longer in perfect accord; but I had not thought that our parting was to come so soon.'

'Dear Roger,' she murmured, with a sudden return to gentleness. 'I confess that my heart no longer leaps at the sound of your footfall coming to my room. But you too have lost something of your first fine rapture in me; and if you are honest you will admit it. A time always comes when even the best of friends should part for a season; and wise lovers always do so while there is still an edge upon their passion, instead of waiting for it to become entirely blunted. Only by so doing can they preserve a hope of coming together again with renewed zest sometime in the future.'

'So be it then; but at least let our relationship remain unchanged throughout the week-end. Then I will take my congewith a good grace, and leave with your other guests on Monday.'

She hesitated a second, then she said. 'I am most loath to do any­thing which would give you pain. And think not, I beg, that I am wearied of you to a point where I would have you make so hurried a departure. Stillwaters is so lovely in the Spring, and there is no one with whom I would rather gather daffodils in the woods than your dear self. Stay on for a further week or two, and bear me company while you make your future plans. But for this evening and to-morrow I crave your indulgence to try my wiles on Sergius Vorontzoff.'

Roger had too much pride to accept the proferred olive branch at the price. Instead, he snapped sarcastically. 'From what you've already said 'twill need but little trying on your part to rouse the cave-man in this northern barbarian; and you must forgive me if I say that you seem in a positively indecent hurry to begin.'

'Nay. 'Tis not that,' she murmured, her tone still mild. 'I'll admit the man intrigues me, but I would have been well content to wait until our affair was ended, had not circumstances forced my hand. The truth is Charles knows that the Russian has a fancy for me and wrote asking permission to bring him down. It seems that the Opposition are particularly anxious to gain his interest, and, naturally, if I decide to take him in hand I shall be in a position to exert a certain influence over him.'

'May the devil take Charles Fox!' cried Roger angrily. 'Damn him and his filthy political intrigues.'

'Oh, be sensible, m'dear. 'Twill prove well worth my while to render him this service, should I find that my own inclinations coincide with his interests.'

'Surely you would lose nothing by postponing the issue for a while?'

'There lies the rub. I fear one might lose everything. 'Tis said that these Russians are as proud as they are bold. After the avowals he has already made me he will come with high expectations. Should I not give him some encouragement he may think that I have deliberately made a fool of him, and the strength of his resentment might rob me of any future chance to develop his acquaintance.'

Roger's face hardened. 'You must have known he was coming days ago, yet you told me nothing of it. 'Tis clear that you were already considering him as a possible successor to myself yet lacked the frank­ness to tell me what was in your mind.'

'I thought of doing so but refrained, from an instinct that you would take it ill and behave towards me like a jealous husband; and rightly, so it seems.'

'On the contrary, Madam, I should have packed my bags and relieved you of my presence; as I would this very afternoon were it not that Droopy is coming here at my behest. Since that renders my immediate departure impossible I feel that I have the right to ask that, whatever assignations you may choose to make with Vorontzoff for the near future, you will spare me the humiliation of allowing him to make love to you till I have left your house.'

Georgina sighed. 'Roger you weary me a little. I have been entirely faithful to you for these past five months; but now I invoke our pact. Before Athenais de Rochambeau gave you her heart you already loved her desperately; yet, as you have told me, you did not scruple to take mistresses for your amusement. Why then should you cavil so now if I elect to give something of myself to another, which will not detract one iota from my deep, abiding love for you. Besides, .as I have already said, I may give the Russian no more than a few kisses.'

'If you'll promise that I'll say no more.'

Slowly Georgina stood up, shook out the folds of her voluminous red velvet gown and drew herself up to her full height. They faced one another only a yard apart; two splendid, strong-willed, passionate young people. Then she said firmly:

'I have already told you, Sir, all will depend upon how much or how little he attracts me on closer acquaintance. I refuse to be dictated to, and I will promise nothing.'

At that moment a coach-horn sounded in the distance, and she added, 'There! That will be some of my guests arriving. I must hurry down to join Papa for their reception.'

As she was about to turn away he seized her by the arm, and cried furiously: 'I'm damned if I'll let you tromper me under my very nose.'

'About that we'll see!' she snapped back, her dark eyes blazing. 'But please to understand that from this instant I forbid you the entree to my private apartments; and that I'll do as I damn well please!'

Then, wrenching her arm from his grasp, she sailed regally from the room.

CHAPTER II

A LOSING BATTLE

As Georgina reached the top of the main staircase Roger caught her up. Below them her father, Colonel Thursby, who adored, spoilt and lived with her almost permanently, although he had two houses of his own, had just come out of one of the four splendid reception rooms that gave onto the spacious entrance hall of the mansion.

On catching sight of him Roger made Georgina a formal bow and offered her his arm. Laying her hand lightly on it she gathered up her billowing skirts with the other, and they walked down the broad, shallow stairs. By the time they reached the bottom not a trace of ill temper was to be seen on the face of either, although both their hearts were still beating with unnatural swiftness as a result of their quarrel.

The front door was already open and a squad of liveried footmen were relieving the first arrivals of their wraps. These proved to be Lord Edward Fitz-Deverel and Mr. Selwyn. Both were members of White's Club and it transpired that the former, learning that the latter was also going to Stillwaters for the week-end, had carried him from London in his curricle.

Roger's friend was some three years older than himself; an ex­tremely thin but rather tall young man with pale blue eyes and a beaky nose. He had derived his nickname of Droopy Ned from his chronic stoop, but he was a great dandy; and under his lazy manner he con­cealed a quick, well-balanced and unusually profound mind.