ladio-Gargantuan hall. Some one, some butler or groom-of-the-chamber,
murmured that her Grace was in the garden. I passed out through the
great opposite doorway on to a wide spectacular terrace with lawns
beyond. Tea was on the nearest of these lawns. In the central group of
people--some standing, others sitting--I espied the Duchess. She sat
pouring out tea, a deft and animated little figure. I advanced firmly
down the steps from the terrace, feeling that all would be well so soon
as I had reported myself to the Duchess.

'But I had a staggering surprise on my way to her. I espied in one of
the smaller groups--whom d'you think? Braxton.

'I had no time to wonder how he had got there--time merely to grasp the
black fact that he WAS there.

'The Duchess seemed really pleased to see me. She said it was TOO
splendid of me to come. "You know Mr. Maltby?" she asked Lady Rodfitten,
who exclaimed "Not Mr. HILARY Maltby?" with a vigorous grace that
was overwhelming. Lady Rodfitten declared she was the greatest of my
admirers; and I could well believe that in whatever she did she excelled
all competitors. On the other hand, I found it hard to believe she was
afraid of me. Yet I had her word for it that she was.

'Her womanly charm gave place now to her masculine grip. She
eulogised me in the language of a seasoned reviewer on the staff of a
long-established journal--wordy perhaps, but sound. I revered and loved
her. I wished I could give her my undivided attention. But, whilst I sat
there, teacup, in hand, between her and the Duchess, part of my brain
was fearfully concerned with that glimpse I had had of Braxton. It
didn't so much matter that he was here to halve my triumph. But suppose
he knew what I had told the Duchess! And suppose he had--no, surely if
he HAD shown me up in all my meanness she wouldn't have received me
so very cordially. I wondered where she could have met him since that
evening of the Inkwomen. I heard Lady Rodfitten concluding her review
of "Ariel" with two or three sentences that might have been framed
specially to give the publisher an easy "quote." And then I heard myself
asking mechanically whether she had read "A Faun on the Cotswolds." The
Duchess heard me too. She turned from talking to other people and said
"I did like Mr. Braxton so VERY much."

'"Yes," I threw out with a sickly smile, "I'm so glad you asked him to
come."

'"But I didn't ask him. I didn't DARE."

'"But--but--surely he wou