‘If you put it so,’ Pomeroy answered, grinning, ’I think I dare take it on myself.’

His voice full of mockery, his insolent eyes, stung her to the quick.  ’I will see if that be so,’ she cried, fearlessly advancing on him.  ’Lay a finger on me if you dare!  I am going out.  Make way, sir.’

‘You are not going out!’ he cried between his teeth.  And held his ground in front of her.

She advanced until she was within touch of him, then her courage failed her; they stood a second or two gazing at one another, the girl with heaving breast and cheeks burning with indignation, the man with cynical watchfulness.  Suddenly, shrinking from actual contact with him, she sprang aside, and was at the door before he could intercept her.  But with a rapid movement he turned on his heel, seized her round the waist before she could open the door, dragged her shrieking from it, and with an oath—­and not without an effort—­flung her panting and breathless into the window-seat.  ‘There!’ he cried ferociously, his blood fired by the struggle; ’lie there!  And behave yourself, my lady, or I’ll find means to quiet you.  For you,’ he continued, turning fiercely on the tutor, whose face the sudden scuffle and the girl’s screams had blanched to the hue of paper, ’did you never hear a woman squeak before?  And you, my lord?  Are you so dainty?  But, to be sure, ’tis your lordship’s mistress,’ he continued ironically.  ’Your pardon.  I forgot that.  I should not have handled her so roughly.  However, she is none the worse, and ‘twill bring her to reason.’

But the struggle and the girl’s cries had shaken my lord’s nerves.  ’D—­n you!’ he cried hysterically, and with a stamp of the foot, ’you should not have done that.’

‘Pooh, pooh,’ Mr. Pomeroy answered lightly.  ’Do you leave it to me, my lord.  She does not know her own mind.  ’Twill help her to find it.  And now, if you’ll take my advice, you’ll leave her to a night’s reflection.’

But Lord Almeric only repeated, ‘You should not have done that.’

Mr. Pomeroy’s face showed his scorn for the man whom a cry or two and a struggling woman had frightened.  Yet he affected to see art in it.  ’I understand.  And it is the right line to take,’ he said; and he laughed unpleasantly.  ’No doubt it will be put to your lordship’s credit.  But now, my lord,’ he continued, ’let us go.  You will see she will have come to her senses by to-morrow.’

The girl had remained passive since her defeat.  But at this she rose from the window-seat where she had crouched, slaying them with furious glances.  ‘My lord,’ she cried passionately, ’if you are a man, if you are a gentleman—­you’ll not suffer this.’

But Lord Almeric, who had recovered from his temporary panic, and was as angry with her as with Pomeroy, shrugged his shoulders.  ’Oh, I don’t know,’ he said resentfully.  ’It has naught to do with me, ma’am.  I don’t want you kept, but you have behaved uncommon low to me; uncommon low.  And ‘twill do you good to think on it.  Stap me, it will!’