the opera last night," she said.
"She is not an American, but a Mrs. Brown, an Australian millionaire's
wife, we were told. She is certainly pretty. Oh--eh--you said Hector
was devoted to her in Paris?"

"Why, of course! You can ask Jack."

"I do not think we need worry, though, dear, because I am happy to say
Hector shows great signs of wishing to be with Morella."

And with this pleasing thought she had turned the conversation.

"I think we must go back now," said Theodora, after she had finished the
last monster strawberry on her plate. "Josiah may be waiting for me."

Oh, she had been so happy! There was that sense vibrating through
everything that he loved her, and they were together--but now it must
end.

So they made their way up the stairs and back to the ballroom.

Mrs. Devlyn had abandoned Josiah, and he stood once more alone and
supremely uncomfortable. A pang of remorse seized Theodora; she wished
she had not stayed so long; she would not leave him again for a moment.

He had supped, it appeared, been hurried over it because Mrs. Devlyn
wished to return, and was now feeling cross and tired. He was quite
ready to leave when Theodora suggested it, and they said good-night to
Hector and descended to find their carriage. But in that crowd it was
not such an easy matter.

There was a long wait in the hall, where they were joined by the
assiduous Marquis and Delaval Stirling. And Hector, from a place on the
stairs, had all his feelings of jealous rage aroused again in watching
them while he was detained where he was by his hostess.

Meanwhile, Sir Patrick Fitzgerald had gone about telling every one of
the beauty of his new-found niece, and had brought his wife to be
introduced to her just after Theodora had left.

Since his scapegrace brother was going to make such an advantageous
marriage, and this niece had proved a lovely woman, and rich withal, he
quite admitted the ties of blood were thicker than water.

Lady Ada was not of like opinion; she had enough relations of her own,
and resented his having asked the Browns to Beechleigh for Whitsuntide.

"My party was all made up but for one extra man," she said, "whom I
think I have found; and we did not need these people."

XXI

Lord Bracondale arrived at his sister's house in Charles Street about a
quarter of an hour before her luncheon guests were due.

Anne rushed down to see him, meeting her husband on the stairs.

"Oh, don't come in