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  ‘Her parent would be influenced by my dukedom, but she, no. Not even if she knew of it.’

  ‘Does she not know?’

  ‘Certainly not. I am Mr Everard.’

  ‘How wise of you, Tracy! So you’ve nought to fear?’

  ‘Fear?’ He snapped his fingers. ‘I?’

  The heavy curtain swung noiselessly aside. Richard Carstares stood in the opening.

  Tracy turned his head and scrutinised him languidly. Then he put up his hand and removed his mask.

  ‘Is it possible the husband scented an intrigue? It seems I am doomed to disappoint to-night.’

  Lavinia, smarting from her morning’s wrongs, laughed savagely.

  ‘More probable he mistook me for someone else!’ she snapped.

  Richard bowed, his hand on the curtain. He had shown no surprise at seeing the Duke.

  ‘Far more probable, my dear. I thought you Lady Charlwood! Pray give me leave.’ He was gone on the word.

  Tracy replaced his mask, chuckling.

  ‘Honest Dick grows cold, eh? But what a snub, Lavinia!’

  Her little hand clenched.

  ‘Oh, how dare he! How dare he insult me so?’

  ‘My dear sister, in all justice to him, you must admit the boot was rather on the other leg.’

  ‘Oh, I know – I know! But he is so provoking! – so jealous! – so unreasonable.’

  ‘Jealous? And why?’

  With an impatient twitch at her petticoat she made answer, not looking at him.

  ‘Oh, I do not know! Nor he! Take me back to the ball-room.’

  ‘Certainly, my dear.’ He rose and led her out. ‘I shall do myself the honour of waiting on you – to-morrow.’

  ‘Yes? How delightful ’twill be! Come to dine, Tracy! Richard is promised to the Fortescues.’

  ‘In that case, I have much pleasure in accepting your invitation… In heaven’s name, who is this?’

  Lovelace was bearing down upon them.

  ‘Lavinia! I have been seeking you everywhere! – ah – your servant, sir!’ He bowed to his Grace, and took Lavinia’s hand.

  ‘Oh – oh, Harold! – you remember Tracy?’ she said nervously.

  ‘Tracy. I did not know you masked! I saw you last in Paris.’

  ‘Really? I regret I was not aware of your presence. It is a good many years since I had the honour of seeing you.’

  ‘Five,’ nodded Lovelace, and sent a smiling, amorous glance at Lavinia.

  ‘Exactly,’ bowed his Grace. ‘You have, I perceive, renewed your acquaintance with my sister.’

  When they were gone he caressed his chin, thoughtfully.

  ‘Lovelace… and Richard is so jealous, so unreasonable. Now I do hope Lavinia will do nothing indiscreet – Yes, Frank, I was talking to myself; a bad habit.’

  Fortescue, who had come up behind him, took his arm.

  ‘A sign of lunacy, my dear. Jim Cavendish demands you.’

  ‘Does he? May I ask why?’

  ‘He is in the card-room. There is some bet on, I believe.’

  ‘In that case I shall have to go. You had best accompany me, Frank.’

  ‘Very well. You have seen Lady Lavinia?’

  Beneath the mask his Grace’s eyes narrowed.

  ‘I have seen Lavinia. Also I have seen an old friend – Lovelace by name.’

  ‘The captain with the full-bottomed wig? Your friend, you say?’

  ‘Did I say so? I should correct myself: a friend of my sister’s.’

  ‘Indeed? Yes, I believe I have seen him in her company.’

  Tracy smiled enigmatically.

  ‘I daresay.’

  ‘And what of you, Tracy?’

  ‘Well? What of me?’

  ‘You told me this morning that you had at last fallen in love. Is it true? You are honestly in love?’

  ‘Honestly? How do I know? I only know that I have felt this passion for four months, and now it is stronger than ever. It sounds like love.’

  ‘Then, if she is a good woman, I hope she will consent to take you, such as you are, and make of you such as she can!’

  ‘Now that is very neat, Frank. I congratulate you. Of course she will take me; as to the rest – I think not.’

  ‘Tare an’ ouns, Tracy! but an that is the tone you take with her, she’ll have none of you!’

  ‘I have never found it unsuccessful.’

  ‘With your common trollops, no! But if your Diana is a lady, she will dispatch you about your business! Woo her, man! Forget your own damned importance, for I think you will need to humble yourself to the dust if all that you tell me has passed between you is true!’

  They had paused outside the card-room. A curtain shut it off from the ball-room, and with his hand on it, Tracy stared arrogantly down his friend.

  ‘Humble myself? ’Fore Gad, you must be mad!’

  ‘Belike I am; but I tell you, Tracy, that if your passion is love, ’tis a strange one that puts yourself first. I would not give the snap of a finger for it! You want this girl, not for her happiness, but for your own pleasure. That is not the love I once told you would save you from yourself. When it comes, you will count yourself as nought; you will realise your own insignificance, and above all, be ready to make any sacrifice for her sake. Yes, even to the point of losing her!’

  His Grace’s lips sneered.

  ‘Your eloquence is marvellous,’ he remarked. ‘I have not been so amused since I left Paris.’

  Twenty

  His Grace of Andover Takes a Hand in the Game

  When the Duke of Andover dined next day at Grosvenor Square, he contrived, by subtle means, to make his sister feel inexplicably ill at ease. He let fall pleasant little remarks concerning her friendship with Captain Lovelace, in which she read disapproval and a sinister warning. She was afraid of him, as she was not of her husband, and she knew that if he ever guessed at the depths of her affection for the old flame, he would take very effective measures towards stopping her intercourse with him. It was, then, entirely owing to his return that she told Lovelace that he must not so palpably adore her. Neither must he visit her so frequently. They were both in her boudoir at the time, one morning, and no doubt Lavinia looked very lovely and very tempting in her wrapper, with her golden curls free from powder and loosely dressed beneath her escalloped lace ruffle. At all events, Lovelace abandoned his daintily bantering pose and seized her in his arms, nearly smothering her with fierce, passionate caresses.

  Her ladyship struggled, gave a faint shriek, and started to cry. As his kisses seemed to aggravate her tears, he picked her up, and carrying her to a chair, lowered her gently into it. Then, having first dusted the floor with his handkerchief he knelt down beside her and possessed himself of both her hands.

  ‘Lavinia! Goddess! I adore you!’

  Bethinking herself that tears were ruinous to her complexion, Lady Lavinia pulled her hands away and dabbed at her eyes.

  ‘Oh, Harold!’ she reproached him.

  ‘I have offended you! Wretch that I am –’

  ‘Oh, no, no!’ Lady Lavinia gave him her hand again. ‘But ’twas wicked of you, Harry! You must never, never do it again!’

  His arm crept round her waist.

  ‘But I love you, sweetheart!’

  ‘Oh! Oh! Think of Dicky!’

  He released her at that, and sprang to his feet.

  ‘Why should I think of him! ’Tis of you and myself I think! Only a week ago you vowed he was unkind –’

  ‘You are monstrous wicked to remind me of that! We were both cross – and then we were both sorry. I am very fond of poor Dicky.’

  ‘Fond of him! Ay, so you may be, but you do not love him! Not as a woman loves a man – do you?’

  ‘Harold!’

  ‘Of course you