‘Society never forgets a scandal,’ she said:  ’I have heard Maulevrier say that.’

’Society has a long memory for other people’s sins, but it only avenges its own wrongs.  Give the wicked fairy Society a bad dinner, or leave her out of your invitation list for a ball, and she will twit you with the crimes or the misfortunes of a remote ancestor—­she will go about talking of your grandfather the leper, or your great aunt who ran away with her footman.  But so long as the wicked fairy gets all she wants out of you, she cares not a straw for the misdeeds of past generations.’

He spoke lightly, laughingly almost, and then he ordered the dogcart to be brought round immediately, and he drove Mary across the hills towards Langdale, to bring the colour back to her blanched cheeks.  He brought her home in time to give her grandmother an hour for letter-writing before luncheon, while he walked up and down the terrace below Lady Maulevrier’s windows, meditating the course he was to take.

He was to leave Westmoreland next day to take his place in the House of Lords during the last important debate of the session.  He made up his mind that before he left he would seek an interview with Lady Maulevrier, and boldly ask her to explain the mystery of that old man’s presence at Fellside.  He was her kinsman by marriage, and he had sworn to honour her and to care for her as a son; and as a son he would urge her to confide in him, to unburden her conscience of any dark secret, and to make the crooked things straight, before she was called away.

While he was forecasting this interview, meeting imaginary objections, arguing points which might have to be argued, a servant came out to him with an ochre envelope on a little silver tray—­that unpleasant-looking envelope which seems always a presage of trouble, great or small.

’Lord Maulevrier, Albany, to Lord Hartfield, Fellside, Grasmere.

’For God’s sake come to me at once.  I am in great trouble; not on my own account, but about a relation.’

A relation—­except his grandmother and his two sisters Maulevrier had no relations for whom he cared a straw.  This message must have relation to Lesbia.  Was she ill—­dying, the victim of some fatal accident, runaway horses, boat upset, train smashed?  There was something; and Maulevrier appealed to his nearest and best friend.  There was no withstanding such an appeal.  It must be answered, and immediately.

Lord Hartfield went into the library and wrote his reply message, which consisted of six words.

‘Going to you by first train.’

The next train left Windermere at three.  There was just time to get a fresh horse put in the dogcart, and a Gladstone bag packed.

CHAPTER XLI.

PRIVILEGED INFORMATION.

Lord Hartfield did not arrive at Euston Square until near eleven o’clock at night.  A hansom deposited him at the entrance to the Albany just as the clock of St. James’s Church chimed the hour.  He found only Maulevrier’s valet.  His lordship had waited indoors all the evening, and had only gone out a quarter of an hour ago.  He had gone to the Cerberus, and begged that Lord Hartfield would be kind enough to follow him there.