‘Fetch—­tell the gentleman to come back,’ Julia cried, breathing quickly.

‘To come back?’

‘Yes!  The gentleman who was here now.’

‘Oh, yes, the gentleman,’ Mrs. Olney murmured.  ’Your ladyship wishes him?’

Julia’s very brow turned crimson; but her resolution held.  ’Yes, I wish to see him,’ she said imperiously.  ‘Tell him to come to me!’

She stood erect, panting and defiant, her eyes on the door while the woman went to do her bidding—­waited erect, refusing to think, her face set hard, until far down the outer passage—­Mrs. Olney had left the door open—­the sound of shuffling feet and a shrill prattle of words heralded Lord Almeric’s return.  Presently he came tripping in with a smirk and a bow, the inevitable little hat under his arm.  Before he had recovered the breath the ascent of the stairs had cost him, he was in an attitude that made the best of his white silk stockings.

‘See at your feet the most obedient of your slaves, ma’am!’ he cried.  ’To hear was to obey, to obey was to fly!  If it’s Pitt’s diamond you need, or Lady Mary’s soap-box, or a new conundrum, or—­hang it all!  I cannot think of anything else, but command me!  I’ll forth and get it, stap me if I won’t!’

‘My lord, it is nothing of that kind,’ Julia answered, her voice steady, though her cheeks burned.

‘Eh? what?  It’s not!’ he babbled.  ’Then what is it?  Command me, whatever it is.’

‘I believe, my lord,’ she said, smiling faintly, ’that a woman is always privileged to change her mind—­once.’

My lord stared.  Then, gathering her meaning as much from her heightened colour as from her words, ‘What!’ he screamed.  ’Eh?  O Lord!  Do you mean that you will have me?  Eh?  Have you sent for me for that?  Do you really mean that?’ And he fumbled for his spy-glass that he might see her face more clearly.

‘I mean,’ Julia began; and then, more firmly, ‘Yes, I do mean that,’ she said, ’if you are of the same mind, my lord, as you were half an hour ago.’

‘Crikey, but I am!’ Lord Almeric cried, fairly skipping in his joy.  ’By jingo!  I am!  Here’s to you, my lady!  Here’s to you, ducky!  Oh, Lord! but I was fit to kill myself five minutes ago, and those fellows would have done naught but roast me.  And now I am in the seventh heaven.  Ho! ho!’ he continued, with a comical pirouette of triumph, ’he laughs best who laughs last.  But there, you are not afraid of me, pretty?  You’ll let me buss you?’

But Julia, with a face grown suddenly white, shrank back and held out her hand.

‘Sakes! but to seal the bargain, child,’ he remonstrated, trying to get near her.

She forced a faint smile, and, still retreating, gave him her hand to kiss.  ‘Seal it on that,’ she said graciously.  Then, ’Your lordship will pardon me, I am sure.  I am not very well, and—­and yesterday has shaken me.  Will you be so good as to leave me now, until to-morrow?’