dly in love with her, and wanted her never to
be out of his sight.

But he let her pass out, and, turning round, he found Francis Markrute
pouring out some liqueur brandy from a wonderful, old, gold-chased
bottle, which stood on a side-table with its glasses. He filled two, and
handed one to Tristram, while he quoted Doctor Johnson with an
understanding smile:

"'Claret for boys, port for men, but brandy for heroes!' By Jove! my
dear boy," he said, "you are a hero!"

CHAPTER XII

Lady Tancred unfortunately had one of her very bad headaches, and an
hour before dinner, in fact before her son had left the Park Lane house,
a telephone message came to say she was dreadfully sorry, it would be
impossible for her to come. It was Emily who spoke to Francis Markrute,
himself.

"Mother is so disappointed," she said, "but she really suffers so
dreadfully. I am sure Countess Shulski will forgive her, and you, too.
She wants to know if Countess Shulski will let Tristram bring her
to-morrow morning, without any more ceremony, to see her and stay to
luncheon."

Thus it was settled and this necessitated a change in the table
arrangements.

Lady Ethelrida would now sit on the host's right hand, and Lady
Coltshurst, an aunt on the Tancred side, at his left, while Zara would
be between the Duke and her fiance, as originally arranged. Emily
Guiscard would have Sir James Danvers and Lord Coltshurst as neighbors,
and Mary her uncle, the Duke's brother, a widower, Lord Charles
Montfitchet, and his son, "Young Billy," the Glastonbury heir--Lady
Ethelrida was the Duke's only child.

At a quarter before eight Francis Markrute went up to his niece's
sitting-room. She was already dressed in a sapphire-blue velvet
masterpiece of simplicity. The Tancred presents of sapphires and
diamonds lay in their open cases on the table with the splendid
Markrute yards of pearls. She was standing looking down at them, the
strangest expression of cynical resignation upon her face.

"Your gift is magnificent, Uncle Francis," she said, without thanking
him. "Which do you wish me to wear? Yours--or his?"

"Lord Tancred's, he has specially asked that you put his on to-night,"
the financier replied. "These are only his first small ones; the other
jewels are being reset for you. Nothing can be kinder or more generous
than the whole family has been. You see this brooch, with the large drop
sapphire and diamond, is from the Duke."

She inclined her