d her so, he saw in her eyes, despite her
dignity and grace, she had marked him. He did not know how closely, or
that she gave him the attention he could not restrain himself from
bestowing upon her. But when he bowed before her, and she greeted him
with all courtesy, he saw in her great, splendid eye that had Fate willed
it so, she would have understood all his thoughts, shared all his
ambitions, and aided him to uphold his high ideals. Nay, he knew she
understood him even now, and was stirred by what stirred him also, even
though they met but rarely, and when they encountered each other, spoke
but as kinsman and kinswoman who would show each other all gracious
respect and honour. It was because of this pang which struck his great
heart at times that he was not a frequent visitor at my Lord
Dunstanwolde's mansion, but appeared there only at such assemblies as
were matters of ceremony, his absence from which would have been a noted
thing. His kinsman was fond of him, and though himself of so much riper
age, honoured him greatly. At times he strove to lure him into visits of
greater familiarity; but though his kindness was never met coldly or
repulsed, a further intimacy was in some gracious way avoided.

"My lady must beguile you to be less formal with us," said Dunstanwolde.
And later her ladyship spoke as her husband had privately desired: "My
lord would be made greatly happy if your Grace would honour our house
oftener," she said one night, when at the end of a great ball he was
bidding her adieu.

Osmonde's deep eye met hers gently and held it. "My Lord Dunstanwolde is
always gracious and warm of heart to his kinsman," he replied. "Do not
let him think me discourteous or ungrateful. In truth, your ladyship, I
am neither the one nor the other."

The eyes of each gazed into the other's steadfastly and gravely. The
Duke of Osmonde thought of Juno's as he looked at hers; they were of such
velvet, and held such fathomless deeps.

"Your Grace is not so free as lesser men," Clorinda said. "You cannot
come and go as you would."

"No," he answered gravely, "I cannot, as I would."

And this was all.

It having been known by all the world that, despite her beauty and her
conquests, Mistress Clorinda Wildairs had not smiled with great favour
upon Sir John Oxon in the country, it was not wondered at or made any
matter of gossip that the Countess of Dunstanwolde was but little
familiar with him and saw him but