“I have attended to your wishes, Norman,” she said; “you must not blame me if you are dull.  I have asked no one to meet you.”

“There is no fear of my ever being dull here, Philippa,” he returned.  “You forget that I am almost as much at home as you are yourself.  I can remember when I looked upon coming to Verdun Royal as coming home.”

A shadow of pain crossed her face at this reference to those early, happy days.  Then he summoned up courage, and said to her: 

“Where is your fair companion, Philippa?”

“She is somewhere about the grounds,” replied the duchess.  “I can never persuade her to remain in-doors unless she has something to do.  So you have not forgotten her?” added the duchess, after a short pause.

“I have not forgotten her, Philippa.  I shall have something very important to say to you about her before I go away again.”

She gave no sign that she understood him, but began to talk to him on a number of indifferent matters—­the warmth of the weather, his journey down, the last news from her husband—­and he answered her somewhat impatiently.  His thoughts were with Madaline.

At last the signal of release came.

“We need not play at ‘company,’ Norman,” said the duchess.  “As you say, Verdun Royal has always been like home to you.  Continue to make it so.  We dine at eight—­it is now nearly five.  You will find plenty to amuse yourself with.  Whenever you wish for my society, you will find me in the drawing-room or my boudoir.”

He murmured some faint word of thanks, thinking to himself how considerate she was, and that she guessed he wanted to find Madaline.  With a smile on her face, she turned to him as she was quitting the room.

“Vere seemed very uneasy, when he was going away, lest you should not feel at liberty to smoke when you liked,” she said.  “Pray do not let the fact of his absence prevent you from enjoying a cigar whenever you feel inclined for one.”

“A thousand thanks, Philippa,” returned Lord Arleigh, inwardly hoping that Madaline would give him scant time for the enjoyment of cigars.

Then he went across the lawn, wondering how she would look, where he should find her, and what she would say to him when she saw him.  Once or twice he fancied he saw the glimmer of a white dress between the trees.  He wondered if she felt shy at seeing him, as he did at seeing her.  Then suddenly—­it was as though a bright light had fallen from the skies—­he came upon her standing under a great linden tree.

“Madaline!” he said, gently.  And she came to him with outstretched hands.

Chapter XX.