in his heart.

But what had it meant--that look of superb scorn? She had no mien of a
guilty person.

At six minutes to eight she opened the door, and came out. She had
simply flown into her clothes, in ten minutes! Her eyes were still black
as night with resentment, and her bosom rose and fell, while in her
white cheeks two scarlet spots flamed.

"I am ready," she said, haughtily, "let us go," and not waiting for her
husband she swept on down the stairs, exactly as her uncle opened the
library door.

"Well done, my punctual niece!" he cried genially. "You are a woman of
your word."

"In all things," she answered, fiercely, and went towards the door,
where the electric brougham waited.

And both men as they followed her wondered what she could mean.

CHAPTER XXXVIII

The dinner for Ethelrida's betrothal resembled in no way the one for
Zara and Tristram; for, except in those two hearts there was no bitter
strain, and the fiances in this case were radiantly happy, which they
could not conceal, and did not try to.

The Dowager Lady Tancred arrived a few minutes after the party of three,
and Zara heard her mother-in-law gasp, as she said, "Tristram, my dear
boy!" and then she controlled the astonishment in her voice, and went on
more ordinarily, but still a little anxiously, "I hope you are very
well?"

So he was changed then--to the eye of one who had not seen him since the
wedding--and Zara glanced at him critically, and saw that--yes, he was,
indeed, changed. His face was perfectly set and stern, and he looked
older. It was no wonder his mother should be surprised.

Then Lady Tancred turned to Zara and kissed her. "Welcome back, my dear
daughter," she said. And Zara tried to answer something pleasant: above
all things, this proud lady who had so tenderly given her son's
happiness into her keeping must not guess how much there was amiss.

But Lady Tancred was no simpleton--she saw immediately that her son must
have gone through much suffering and strain. What was the matter? It
tore her heart, but she knew him too well to say anything to him about
it.

So she continued to talk agreeably to them, and Tristram made a great
effort, and chaffed her, and became gay. And soon they went in to
dinner. And Lady Tancred sat on Francis Markrute's other side, and tried
to overcome her prejudice against him. If Ethelrida loved him so much he
must be really nice. And Zara sat on one side of the old Duke, and Lady