for more
than a generation.

Julie turned to him with eagerness.

"Mr. Montresor wrote to me early this morning. The letter reached me at
breakfast. In Mrs. Montresor's name and his own, he asked me to stay
with them till my plans developed. He--he was kind enough to say he felt
himself partly responsible for last night."

"And you replied?" The Duke eyed her keenly.

Julie sighed and looked down.

"I begged him not to think any more of me in the matter, but to write at
once to Lady Henry. I hope he has done so."

"And so you refused--excuse these questions--Mrs. Montresor's
invitation?"

The working of the Duke's mind was revealed in his drawn and puzzled
brows.

"Certainly." The speaker looked at him with surprise. "Lady Henry would
never have forgiven that. It could not be thought of. Lord Lackington
also"--but her voice wavered.

"Yes?" said the Duchess, eagerly, throwing herself on a stool at Julie's
feet and looking up into her face.

"He, too, has written to me. He wants to help me. But--I can't let him."

The words ended in a whisper. She leaned back in her chair, and put her
handkerchief to her eyes. It was very quietly done, and very touching.
The Duchess threw a lightning glance at her husband; and then,
possessing herself of one of Julie's hands, she kissed it and
murmured over it.

"Was there ever such a situation?" thought the Duke, much shaken. "And
she has already, if Evelyn is to be believed, refused the chance--the
practical certainty--of being Duchess of Chudleigh!"

He was a man with whom a _gran rifiuto_ of this kind weighed heavily.
His moral sense exacted such things rather of other people than himself.
But, when made, he could appreciate them.

After a few turns up and down the room, he walked up to the two women.

"Miss Le Breton," he said, in a far more hurried tone than was usual to
him, "I cannot approve--and Evelyn ought not to approve--of much that
has taken place during your residence with Lady Henry. But I understand
that your post was not an easy one, and I recognize the forbearance of
your present attitude. Evelyn is much distressed about it all. On the
understanding that you will do what you can to soften this breach for
Lady Henry, I shall be, glad if you will allow me to come partially to
your assistance."

Julie looked up gravely, her eyebrows lifting. The Duke found himself
reddening as he went on.

"I have a little house near here--a little furnished house--