‘We obey our masters,’ answered Lesbia, meekly.

’Ah, I forgot.  You are to have a master—­and soon.  I heard as much before I saw you to-night.’

Lesbia half rose, as if to leave this cool retreat above the rippling tide.

‘Yes, it is all settled,’ she said; ’and now I think I must go back.  Lady Kirkbank will be wondering what has become of me.’

‘Let her wonder a little longer,’ said Don Gomez.  ’Why should we hurry away from this delightful spot?  Why break the spell of—­the river?  Life has so few moments of perfect contentment.  If this is one with you—­as it is with me—­let us make the most of it.  Lady Lesbia, do you see those weeds yonder, drifting with the tide, drifting side by side, touching as they drift?  They have met heaven knows how, and will part heaven knows where, on their way to the sea; but they let themselves go with the tide.  We have met like those poor weeds.  Don’t let us part till the tide parts us.’

Lesbia gave a little sigh, and submitted.  She had talked of women obeying their masters; and the implication was that she meant to obey Mr. Smithson.  But there is a fate in these things; and the man who was to be her master, whose lightest breath was to sway her, whose lightest look was to rule her, was here at her side in the silence of the summer night.

They talked long, but of indifferent subjects; and their talk might have been heard by every member of the Orleans Club, and no harm done.  Yet words and phrases count for very little in such a case.  It is the tone, it is the melody of a voice, it is the magic of the hour that tells.

The tide came, in the person of Mr. Smithson, and parted these two weeds that were drifting towards the great mysterious ocean of fate.

‘I have been hunting for you everywhere,’ he said, cheerfully.  ’If you want another waltz, Lady Lesbia, you had better take the next.  I believe it is to be the last.  At any rate our party are clamouring to be driven home.  I found poor Lady Kirkbank fast asleep in a corner of the drawing-room.’

‘Will you give me that last waltz?’ asked Don Gomez.

Lady Lesbia felt that the long-suffering Smithson had endured enough.  Womanly instinct constrained her to refuse that final waltz:  but it seemed to her as if she were making a tremendous sacrifice in so doing.  And yet she had waltzed to her heart’s content during the season that was waning, and knew all the waltzes played by all the fashionable bands.  She gave a little sigh, as she said—­

’No, I must not indulge myself.  I must go and take care of Lady Kirkbank.’

Mr. Smithson offered his arm, and she took it and went away with him, leaving Don Gomez to follow at his leisure.  There would be some delay no doubt before the drag started.  The lamps had gone out among the foliage, and the stars were waning a little, and there was a faint cold light creeping over the garden which meant the advent of morning.  Don Gomez strolled towards the lighted house, smoking a cigarette.