him no more," she said to herself,
twisting her hands. What a travesty, what a mockery that one hurried
moment had been! What a parting that was no parting! He had no heart.
He did not really love her.

Through her stupor she felt rather than heard a movement in the house.
She stole out of her room to the head of the grand staircase. Nearly all
the lights had been put out. Close to a lamp in the saloon below, the
duke and Lord John were standing, looking at a map. "The Grotta Ferrata
road is the best," the duke was saying. And as he spoke a servant came
in quickly, and whispered to the duke, who left the saloon with him.

Fay fled back to her own room. Something was happening. But what? Could
it have any connection with herself and Michael? No, that seemed
impossible. And Michael must by now have left the gardens, by the
unlocked door by which he had come in.

Fay drew the reading lamp nearer to her, and opened the book of
devotions which Magdalen, her far off sister in England, had sent her.
Her eyes wandered over the page, her mind taking no heed.

"_For it is the most pain that the soul may have, to turn from God any
time by sin._"

There certainly was a sort of subdued stir in the house. A nameless fear
was invading Fay's heart. The book shook in her hand. What _could_ be
happening? And if it was, as it must be, something quite apart from her
and Michael, what did it matter, why be afraid?

"_For sin is vile, and so greatly to be hated that it may be likened to
no pain which is not sin. And to me was showed no harder hell than
sin._"

A low tap came at the window. Fay started violently, and the book
dropped on the floor.

The tap was repeated. She went to the window, and saw Michael's face
through the glass.

She opened the glass door, and he came in. His clothes were smeared and
torn, and there was blood upon his hand.

"Something has happened," he said. "I don't know what it is, but the
garden is surrounded, and there is someone watching at the door I came
in at. I have tried all the other ways. I have tried to climb the wall,
but there was glass at the top. I can't get out. And they are searching
the gardens with lanterns."

Even as he spoke they saw lights moving among the ilexes.

"They can't know," she said faintly.

"It does not seem possible. They are probably looking for someone else,
but I can't be found here at this hour without raising suspicion. Is
there any way out through the house f