Buckhurst grimaced.
“That’s a poor substitute for you, Fanny!”
“Dear Charles, Arabella disapproves of you very thoroughly! ’Twill amuse you.”
Buckhurst looked gloomy.
“It may. Thy will be done, Fanny!” He walked off.
Lady Frances and Roxhythe withdrew to a small room, adjoining the ballroom. Once there, Roxhythe took his cousin in his arms, and kissed her. Lady Frances made no demur. On the contrary, she returned the kiss, and settled herself on a blue and gold couch.
“David, do you know that it is very refreshing to see you again?” Her humorous eyes challenged him.
Roxhythe sat down beside her.
“It must be.” He looked at her quizzically. “The compliment withheld.”
“You always were provoking,” she retorted. “But are you not glad to see me?”
“Superlatively. You never expect me to make love to you.”
“Of course I am flattered,” she said.
His lordship was regarding her appraisingly.
“I was afraid the climate might spoil you,” he pronounced at length. “Thank heaven, you are as beautiful as ever!”
She tilted her head on one side.
“I thought I was more beautiful than ever!” she said.
“My dear, Jasper is not the judge of beauty that I am. If he told you that, he lied. It were impossible for you to be more beautiful. Riper, perhaps.”
“I do not like the word,” she answered, gravely. “Next I shall be overripe.”
“And after that, decay,” nodded my lord.
“How ungallant of you!” cried Lady Frances, letting fall her fan. Then she laughed. “In truth, we are getting old, Roxhythe.”
“We are,” he agreed. “Foiled again, Fanny. Is it London for you now?”
“I think so. Unless Jasper is sent abroad again, which is unlikely. Who is the charming boy?”
“I don’t know,” replied Roxhythe. “Have you found one?”
“David, you must really not try to impress me with your affectations! I mean the boy you brought here tonight.”
“Oh, Christopher! Yes, he is rather likeable, isn’t he?”
“Who is he?” insisted Frances.
“He is my secretary. One of the Darts of Suffolk.”
“Your secretary? How came he to be that?”
“I really don’t remember. I seem to have had him some time.”
“He was not with you when I left England.”
“No. I think it must have been shortly after you left. My last was a fool. And so untrustworthy.”
“Aha? You wanted a discreet man for some intrigue, I suppose?”
Roxhythe looked at her in hurt wonderment.
“My dear Fanny, have you ever known me require assistance in an affaire?”
“I meant a political intrigue.”
“Oh, lud!” said Roxhythe, and was shaken with laughter. “Yes, Fan, that is it. At my time of life I am turned plotter. It is very sad.”
She looked at him steadily for a moment.
“I wish you would not think me a fool, Roxhythe. How is your beloved King?”
“The same as ever. He will be pleased to see you.”
“I think he will. I am going to Whitehall with Jasper on Thursday. You will be there?”
“Since you are going, yes. The compliment granted.”
“You know, I am very glad I did not marry you,” she told him.
“So am I,” said my lord. “We should have quarrelled. ’Tis ever the way when both have wit. I suppose you never quarrel with Jasper?”
“Insufferable man! I shall go.” She rose, and held out her hand. “Come, David! You must make yourself very agreeable to everyone.”
“Why, I rather thought of leaving!” he protested. “I only came to see you.”
“Then you will offend me very grievously. Come!”
He suffered himself to be drawn to his feet.
“If you give way to idle passions you will have lost your chief attraction,” he sighed. “If I succeed in offending you I shall lose all interest.”
“What a terrible fate were mine, then!” she mocked. “Oh, here is Jasper come to seek me! Jasper, Roxhythe is worse than ever!”
Montgomery grasped my lord’s hand.
“I am overwhelmed to see you,” he smiled. “But I cannot have my wife monopolized.”
“You have it wrong,” retaliated Frances. “I monopolized him! He is the gr-reat Roxhythe! Oh fie!” she blew him a kiss and rustled away.
“She is remarkably fascinating,” reflected my lord. “But no doubt I should have wearied of her.”
On the way home Christopher informed Roxhythe that Lady Frances had asked him to wait on her. He also informed Roxhythe that she was the sweetest, loveliest lady he had ever met.
My lord settled himself more comfortably in his corner of the coach.
“Minx,” he murmured. “So she has you in her toils? I had almost come to think you immune.”
“I greatly admire and respect her ladyship,” said Christopher with dignity.
My lord closed his eyes.
“Yes, that is always the way. Odso, I can scarce remember my calf-love! No doubt she was years older than I.”
“You are most provoking tonight,” said Christopher huffily.
“So she said,” agreed his lordship.
IV
Her Ladyship’s Perplexity
“That nice child has been here today,” remarked Lady Frances, suddenly. “I am at a loss.”
Her husband looked up, smiling.
“A novel experience for you, my dear. What child?”
“Christopher Dart. David’s secretary.”
“Oh? Why are you at a loss?”
Lady Frances frowned uncertainly.
“I cannot understand how he should be in Roxhythe’s service.”
Montgomery laid down his quill.
“Proceed!”
“Now, do not laugh!” begged her ladyship. “I am in earnest.”
“Did I laugh?”
“You looked as though you might. That boy is honest.”
“Yes?”
“I wish you were more intelligent,” sighed her ladyship. “Though Roxhythe assures me we should quarrel an you were.”
“I did not know I had been the subject of your conversation that evening last month.”
“Oh, you were not! Please don’t sound so offended! We congratulated ourselves that we had not married one another. It was very quaint.”
“Highly diverting,” agreed Montgomery, drily.
“Indeed, it was! And we nearly did, you know. But never mind that; it’s not what I wanted to tell you. It is about Christopher. He has been with Roxhythe for nearly two years, and he worships him!”
“Well?” asked her husband. “What of it?”
“That is not all. He—he respects him! And he is such an upright boy! So very honourable!”
“You seem to have observed him closely.”
“Pho!” said Lady Frances. “He is as transparent as air! He knows naught of
