e used--I told him so; he made some feeble
apology, but I can see that he will not come again so often----"

He would have interrupted her, but she went on--"He's not happy, but he
loves her madly--madly. He did not tell me so, but I could see that.
That was something I had never reckoned on."

"You prefer," Christopher said sharply, "to imagine that he is not
happy. I know, unfortunately, what your feeling is about Rachel. Fond of
him though you are you'd prefer that he was unhappy with her."

"I know that he is unhappy. He would not care for her so much if she
returned it. I know Roddy. But she's clever enough----" She broke off.

"If Roddy were to go out to South Africa," she said, "I think I would
kill Rachel--then die happy----"

"Forgive me," Christopher said, "but this is sheer melodrama. Rachel is
devoted to Roddy and Roddy to Rachel. I've the best means for
knowing----"

Even as he spoke he saw her mouth curve with that smile that was always
the wickedest thing about her. He had seen it on many occasions and it
always meant that, then, in her heart there was something cruel or
remorseless.

It gave her now an elfin look so that, amongst the absurd furniture of
the room, she took her place as some old witch might take hers amongst
the paraphernalia of her incantations--her cauldron, her bones, her
noxious herbs.

"That shows, Christopher my friend, that you know very little. I've a
piece of news that will surprise you."

He said nothing, but, in his heart, made ready for some blow.

"What would you say if our Rachel--your Rachel and my Rachel--had found
a new friend in my worthy, most admirable nephew, Francis?"

"Rachel--Rachel and Breton?"

The Duchess watched him with amusement. "Exactly. I have the surest
information----"

"What does your--information--say?"

He hated her at that moment as he had never hated her before.

"It says--and I know that it is true--that for more than a year now they
have been meeting and corresponding--The other day Rachel went to tea
with him--alone. Was with him alone for some time--I'm sure that Roddy
knows nothing of this----"

"It's impossible--impossible! Rachel is the soul of honour----"

"I know that you have always thought so. But what more likely? Their
feeling about myself would, alone, be enough...."

But he would not let her see how hardly he was taking it. He deprived
her of her triumph, did not even question her as to what she would do
with it,