A knock fell on the door, and the footman announced:
“His Grace of Andover, m’lady!”
The guilty pair sprang apart in the nick of time, she fiery red, he pale, but composed.
His Grace stood in the doorway, his quizzing glass raised inquiringly. His eyes went swiftly from one to the other and widened. He bowed elaborately.
“My dear Lavinia! Captain Lovelace, your very obedient!”
Lovelace returned the bow with much flourish.
“Your Grace!”
“Dear me, Tracy!” cried Lavinia, advancing. “What an unexpected visit!”
“I trust I have not arrived at an inopportune moment, my dear?”
“Oh, no!” she assured him. “I am quite charmed to see you! But at such an early hour—! I confess, it quite astonishes me!” She brought him to a chair, chattering like a child, and so innocent was his expression, so smiling his attitude towards the Captain, that she imagined that he suspected nothing, and had not noticed her blushes.
It was only when Lovelace had departed that she was undeceived. Then, when his Grace moved to a chair opposite her, she saw that he was frowning slightly.
“You—you are put out over something, Tracy?” she asked nervously.
The frown deepened.
“N-no. I am not ‘put out.’ I merely anticipate the sensation.”
“I—I don’t understand. What mean you?”
“At present, nothing.”
“Tracy, please do not be mysterious! Are you like to be put out?”
“I trust not, Lavinia.”
“But what annoys you?”
Instead of answering, he put a question:
“I hope you amused yourself well—last night, my dear sister?”
She flushed. Last night had been Lady Davenant’s masquerade, to which Lord Robert had conducted her. She had danced almost exclusively with Lovelace the whole evening, but as they were both masked, she was rather surprised at the question.
“I enjoyed myself quite tolerably, thank you. You were there?”
“No, Lavinia, I was not there.”
“Then how do you kn—” She stopped in confusion, biting her lips. For an instant she caught a glimpse of his eyes, piercing and cold.
“How do I know?” smoothly finished his Grace “One hears things, Lavinia. Also—” he glanced round the room, “one sees things.”
“I—I don’t understand you!” she shot out, twisting the lace of her gown with restless, uneasy fingers.
“No? Must I then be more explicit?”
“Yes! Yes! I should be glad!”
“Then let me beg of you, my dear Lavinia, that you will commit no indiscretion.”
Her cheeks flamed.
“You mean—”
“I mean that you have grown too friendly with Harold Lovelace.”
“Well! What of it?”
His Grace put up his eyeglass, faintly astonished.
“What of it? Pray think a moment, Lavinia!”
“ ’Tis not likely that I shall be the one to disgrace the name, Tracy!”
“I sincerely hope not. I give you my word I should do all in my power to prevent any foolhardy action on your part. Pray do not forget it.”
She sat silent, biting her lips.
“It is, my child, unwise to play with fire. Sooner or later one gets burnt. And remember that your gallant captain has not one half of Richard’s wealth.”
Up she sprang, kicking her skirts as she always did when angered.
“Money! money!—always money!” she cried. “I do not care one rap for it! And Richard is not wealthy!”
“Richard is heir to wealth,” replied his Grace calmly. “And even an you are so impervious to its charms, I, my dear, am not. Richard is extremely useful to me. I beg you will not leave him for any such mad rake as Lovelace, who would be faithful to you for perhaps three months, certainly not longer.”
“Tracy, I will not have you speak to me like this! How dare you insult me so? I have given you no cause! I did not say I had any desire to run away with him—and he would be faithful to me! He has been faithful all these years!”
His Grace smiled provokingly.
“My dear—!”
“Oh, I know there have been episodes—indiscretions. Do you think I count him the worse for that?”
“Evidently not.”
“There has never been another serious love with him! I hate you!”
“You are overfree with your emotions, my dear. So you do indeed contemplate an elopement?”
“No, no, no! I do not! I am fond of Dicky!”
“Dear me!”
“Of course I shall not leave him!”
“Why then, I am satisfied,” he answered, and rose to his feet. “I shall look to see Captain Lovelace more out of your company.” He picked up his hat and cane and stood directly in front of her. One dead white hand, on which blazed a great ruby seal ring, took her little pointed chin in a firm clasp and tilted her head up until she was forced to meet his eyes. They held hers inexorably, scorchingly.
“You understand me?” he asked harshly.
Lavinia’s eyes filled with tears and her soft underlip trembled.
“Yes,” she fluttered, and gave a tiny sob. “Oh, yes, Tracy!”
The eyes lost something of their menacing gleam, and he smiled, for once without a sneer, and releasing her chin, patted her cheek indulgently.
“Bear in mind, child, that I am fifteen years your senior, and I have more worldly wisdom in my little finger than you have in the whole of your composition. I do not wish to witness your ruin.”
The tears brimmed over, and she caught his handkerchief from him, dabbing at her eyes with one heavily-laced corner.
“You do love me, Tracy?”
“In the recesses of my mind I believe I cherish some affection for you,” he replied coolly, rescuing his handkerchief. “I used to class you with your deplorable brothers, but I think perhaps I was wrong.”
She gave an hysterical laugh.
“Tracy, how can you be so disagreeable? Lud! but I pity Diana an she marries you!”
To her surprise he flushed a little.
“Diana, an she marries me, will have all that her heart could desire,” he answered stiffly, and took his leave.
Once outside in the square he looked for a sedan, and not seeing one, walked away towards Audley Street. He went quickly, but his progress was somewhat retarded by two ladies, who, passing in their chairs down the street, perceived
