“Certainly not, if you place the matter in such a light,” he said, gravely.  “I shall always consider it my pleasure and duty to consult you on such points.  I will call no man my friend whom you dislike.”

So, for the time, all danger was tided over; the duke saw that the subject annoyed his wife, and did not voluntarily resume it.  He was too true a gentleman to think of discussing with another lady what he did not discuss with his own wife, so that the subject was not mentioned between Lady Peters and himself.

Then for the fair young Duchess of Hazlewood began the new life which had in it no old friend.  If she repented of her vengeance, she did not say so.  If she would fain have undone her evil deed, she never owned it.  But, as time wore on, people saw a great change in her.  She gave herself more to the gayeties and follies of the world; there were few fashions which she did not lead, few gay pursuits in which she did not take an active part.  The character of her beauty, too, seemed changed.  She had always been brilliant, but somewhat of a strange unrest came into her face and manner; the dark eyes seemed to be always looking for something they could not find.  Her mind, though charming and fascinating as ever, grew variable and unsteady.  She had always been too proud for coquetry; she remained so now.  But she no longer shunned and avoided all flattery and homage; it seemed rather to please her than not.  And—­greatest change of all—­the name of Lord Arleigh never crossed her lips.  He himself had retired from public life; the great hopes formed of him were all dying away.  Men spoke of him with mystery, women with sad, gentle interest; those who had known him knew him no more.

He did not return to Beechgrove:  it seemed to him that he could never again endure the sight of the place where he had separated from his wife—­that his ancient home had been in some manner desecrated.  The mansion was left in charge of Mrs. Chatterton, whose wonder at the new and strange state of things never ceased.

“Such a marriage!” She held up her hands in horror as she thought of it.  Indeed, to her the event appeared like a wedding and a funeral on the same day.  She had not seen Lady Arleigh since, yet she had never forgot the fair, lovely young face that had shone for so short a time in the grand old home.

Lord Arleigh saw that his wife had everything needful for her; he settled a large income on her; he sent from London horses, carriages, everything that her heart could desire; he saw that she had a proper household formed.  Whatever else the world might say, it could not say that he showed her any want of respect or any want of attention.  Lord Arleigh did not live with his wife, never visited her, never spoke of her; but it was quite clear that his motive for doing none of these things lay deeper than the world knew or could even guess.