Marie Belloc Lowndes

“ To fall from the sublime to the common-place, a final touch of perfection had been afforded by the fact that he had been valeted during this wonderful visit by Lord Ardvilly's own man.
D'Egremont more than once in his life had had occasion to play the part of a gentleman's gentleman, both on the Continent and in America. Each time he had elected to personate an English valet. ”

“ His hostess accompanied her friend to the great door, where her eldest boy ought to have been waiting to see off their distinguished guest. She had reminded him of the time. But Lord Ardvilly had forgotten, as young people are apt to forget nowadays the courtesies which yet mean so much in life.
As Mr. Davenant pressed her hand he murmured, "I hope I've been wise in telling you that curious secret, Duchess?" ”

“ And, "I'm one of those people, Duchess, who've always been rolling stones," chimed in the deep vibrant tones of which his elder listener had early realised the caressing, seductive quality.
"I've heard of a very good job in South America," he went on, "so I shall be off next month. Lady Susie has been kind enough to suggest that I may perhaps come back for a week-end a little later on, before I say good-bye for what I know will be a long time to all my friends?"
"I'm glad you'll be able to find time for us again, Mr. d'Egremont." ”

“ The young men were in flannels, and the girls clad in brightly coloured cotton frocks, for it was still very hot.
"Though I have hosts of friends, I am, as I think you know, Duchess, a lonely man, and it's done me good"—his eyes twinkled, but there was genuine emotion in his resonant voice—"to see a real, old-fashioned English home!"
"I wish you'd stay till to-morrow," she said impulsively. "Why not leave with the young people? The Duke had to go up this morning, but surely you could stay till to-morrow?" ”

“ Davenant?"
The face whose habitual serenity had always been, to the man standing by her, the Duchess's greatest charm, became extraordinarily discomposed. She looked agitated and alarmed.
"I oughtn't to have told you!" he exclaimed penitently.
She made a great effort over herself; she even smiled. "On the contrary—I shall always be grateful that you told me. It will be a lesson to me to be more careful."
"A hostess can hardly be too careful nowadays," he observed, in a quiet, kindly tone. ”

“ And then all at once he asked, in quite a different tone, "Who's that dark chap dancing with Susie? No one's taken the trouble to introduce him to me."
"His name is d'Egremont, and he's been the Admirable Crichton of the party," she replied lightly. "He does everything well—tennis, golf, even rackets. He's a first-rate horseman, too; you should have seen him two days ago, in the riding school!"
"I always distrust those sort of do-all-things-well chaps," growled the Duke. "There's something funny about your new friend. ”

“ I thought so at dinner, to-night."
"If you'd honoured my party with a little more of your company, he'd be your friend too."
"If I'd known 'the Marchioness' was going to give you the slip, I'd have come days ago," he said penitently.
"We needn't ask her again for ever so long," said the Duchess cheerfully. "I'm always nervous lest any of her wonderful jewels should disappear while she's on a visit here. They're always dropping off her, and then there's such a fearful fuss till they've been found again. ”

“ Now take the five young men down there, I mean my Robin's friends——"
The man by her side made a slight movement; it was as if he was suddenly impelled to listen with increased attention.
"—Four of them I never met before my boy suggested I should ask them here for our tennis week! I'm actually glad we're slowly coming back to chaperons."
"I agree," he observed, with quick decision.
"One feels it,"—instinctively she lowered her voice,—"because of the girls, Mr. Davenant! Young men must take their chance. ”

“ He was living over his life as a man is said to do when he is drowning—telling himself that, yes, he deserved this frightful punishment, this flinging up of a gateless barrier between him and the future he had meant should be so different from his past. ”

“ There's an excursion day-boat to France early to-morrow morning, no passports being required by those who go by it."
He smiled, visualising the French passport made out in the name of d'Artagnan which he had in his coat pocket. "You needn't be anxious about me, Duchess. I shall be all right—that is if I feel it's worth while to be all right."
"It's always worth while to make a new start. ”

“ I mean the set that welcomes anybody—anybody, mark you, Duchess—who has money to burn. It was hoped to catch this daring chap red-handed here. But for all our sakes I am exceedingly glad that the young gentleman in question has spent perforce an idle week, resting on his oars. Even before I pointed it out to Cracknell, he realised the importance of not allowing it to be known that such a man had stayed at the castle as your guest. ”

“ He was leaving the charming flower-filled old-fashioned sitting-room which was still called her Grace's boudoir, when suddenly he turned round.
"Padlocks, too, about Susie and d'Egremont, eh, mother? Susie would be awfully cross if she knew I had told you he was a 'special' of hers."
"Why should she be?"
"She shouldn't be, but Susie's like that, you know."
Susie's mother did know that Susie was "like that," and she sighed a rather sad sigh as she began writing her notes of invitation. The girl, now just over eighteen, was reserved and sensitive ”

“ Not for the first time during the last few days the mother told herself that her girl's new friend was much older than the other young men there. His tanned, hatchet-shaped face bore traces of hard living. But his blue eyes were very bright; and when he looked down at his partner they became filled with an abject look of adoration which repelled the Duchess, and made her long to snatch her child from his powerful, possessive arms.
III.
The next afternoon Mr. ”