ouldn't worry," continued Mrs. Delarayne. "She's gone home,
that's all. Don't look so dreadfully concerned!"

"Do you really think so?" he enquired. He felt uneasy notwithstanding.
The coincidence, if it were a coincidence, was singular in the extreme.
And yet he could not believe that Denis had told her, and Vanessa and
Tribe had surely not had time to do so. He had seen them ascend the
steps of the terrace. Besides,--why should they? Nevertheless, the
predicament was an awkward one. He had counted on speaking to Cleopatra
directly after lunch.

"Would you mind if I went to 'The Fastness'?" he asked.

"Certainly not. Go by all means," Mrs. Delarayne rejoined. "But is it as
urgent as all that?"

"It's very urgent," said Lord Henry.

She scrutinised him for a moment in silence. She had always had a dark
presentiment that her daughters would come between her and this man.

Lord Henry turned back into the house, fetched his hat and rain-coat,
and in a moment was striding rapidly towards the Brineweald gate.

* * * * *

The shooting party was to leave at three o'clock, and two of the
under-keepers with the ferrets were to meet them at the edge of the wood
at a quarter past. It was now half-past two. Sir Joseph was enjoying his
afternoon nap. Mrs. Delarayne, closeted in the library, was listening to
her sister's indictment of Lord Henry, and the others were chatting on
the terrace.

Denis, who had a pretty shrewd suspicion of what his interview with Sir
Joseph and Mrs. Delarayne portended, looked anxiously at his watch and
rose. He signed to Leonetta that he would like her to join him, but as
she made no effort to move, he went over to her, and leaning over the
back of her chair, whispered that he would be glad if she would take a
short stroll with him.

She rose laboriously, as if he were placing himself under a tremendous
obligation to her, by making her go to so much trouble; and, after
assuring the others that she would not be long, followed Denis with that
jerky mutinous gait in which each footfall is an angry stamp;--it is
characteristic of women all the world over, when they are induced to do
something of which they disapprove. For she was wondering where Lord
Henry could be, and feared lest, by leaving the terrace, she would miss
him when he returned.

"You know we start off at three," she said to Denis, as she caught him
up.

"Yes, I know," he replied gruffly.

"Well,