power that she had, and youth, and strength, spun her brain to
finest cobwebs of entanglements.

She was glad to be with her Roddy again, it was only fair that, helpless
as he was, there should still be someone to guard and protect him ... to
protect him, yes!

Her eyes flashed at the photograph.

But for a long time they talked in precisely their old fashion. The War,
friends and enemies, victories and defeats, marriages and deaths; Roddy
seemed, for a time, the old Roddy.

And then gradually through it all there pushed towards her the
consciousness that he was doing it now to please her; more than that,
again and again she was aware that some bitter jest, some sharp
distraction, some fierce criticism had been turned by him deftly
aside--simply rejected with a deftness and a strength that the old Roddy
could never have summoned.

Here again then--and it stabbed her there in the midst of her new pride
and confidence--was a reminder that her power, her sovereignty had
vanished! Was Roddy also to be beyond her influence, Roddy whom she had
had at her feet since he was a boy of sixteen?

The photograph smiled across at her--She bent forward, her hand raised a
little as though to lend emphasis to her words--"And then you know,
Roddy, I'm still troubled with my abominable relation----"

"What! Breton? Why, how's he been behaving?" Roddy's voice was scornful.

"Oh! he's not _done_ anything that I know of--But he's always there--so
tiresome to have him so close, and John and Adela have grown so peculiar
lately that there's no knowing--They may ask him in to tea one day----"

"Oh no, they won't," said Roddy. "He must be the most awful outsider."

"I wanted to speak about him to you because I thought you might give a
word of warning to Rachel----"

"To Rachel?" Roddy's voice was amazed.

"Yes--She's become such a friend of his! Surely you know? That's what
makes it so difficult for me--When one's own granddaughter----"

"Rachel! A friend of Breton's! But I didn't know she'd ever spoken to
him--Look here, Duchess, you must explain----"

"I thought you must have known. I've often wished to speak to you about
it, only Rachel is so difficult and I didn't want to worry you, and it
seems especially hard just now----"

"But it doesn't worry me--not a bit. Only tell me--How do you mean that
she's a friend of his?"

"Only that she goes to see him, writes to him----"

"Goes to _see_ him----"

"Oh yes--is in complete