AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"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. It istrue? You are honestly in love?"
"Honestly? How do I know? I only know that I have felt this passion forfour months, and now it is stronger than ever. It sounds like love."
"Then, an she is a good woman, I hope she will consent to take you, suchas you are, and make of you such as she can!"
"Now that is very neat, Frank. I congratulate you. Of course she willtake me; as to the rest--I think not."
"Tare an' ouns, Tracy! but an that is the tone you take with her, she'llhave none of you!"
"I have never found it unsuccessful."
"With your common trollops, no! But if your Diana is a lady, she willdispatch you about your business! Woo her, man! Forget your own damnedimportance, for I think you will need to humble yourself to the dust ifall that you tell me has passed between you is true!"
They had paused outside the card-room. A curtain shut it off from theball-room, and with his hand on it, Tracy stared arrogantly down at hisfriend.
"Humble myself? 'Fore Gad, you must be mad!"
"Belike I am; but I tell you, Tracy, that if your passion is love, 'tisa strange one that puts yourself first. I would not give the snap of afinger for it! You want this girl, not for her happiness, but for yourown pleasure. That is not the love I once told you would save you fromyourself. When it comes, you will count yourself as nought; you willrealise your own insignificance, and above all, be ready to make anysacrifice 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 amusedsince I left Paris."
CHAPTER XX
HIS GRACE OF ANDOVER TAKES A HAND IN THE GAME
When the Duke of Andover dined next day at Grosvenor Square, hecontrived, by subtle means, to make his sister feel inexplicably ill atease. He let fall pleasant little remarks concerning her friendship withCaptain 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 thatif he ever guessed at the depths of her affection for the old flame, hewould take very effective measures towards stopping her intercourse withhim. It was, then, entirely owing to his return that she told Lovelacethat he must not so palpably adore her. Neither must he visit her sofrequently. They were both in her boudoir at the time, one morning, andno doubt Lavinia looked very lovely and very tempting in her wrapper,with her golden curls free from powder and loosely dressed beneath herescalloped lace ruffle. At all events, Lovelace abandoned his daintilybantering pose and seized her in his arms, nearly smothering her withfierce, passionate caresses.
Her ladyship struggled, gave a faint shriek, and started to cry. As hiskisses seemed to aggravate her tears, he picked her up, and carrying herto a chair, lowered her gently into it. Then, having first dusted thefloor with his handkerchief, he knelt down beside her and possessedhimself of both her hands.
