The days of slow realisation, after Douglas’s return, had tried both father and son severely.  Sir Arthur was worn out and demoralised by long months of colossal but useless effort to retrieve what he had done.  Falloden, with his own remorse, and his own catastrophe to think over, was called on to put it aside, to think for and help his father.  He had no moral equipment—­no trained character—­equal to the task.  But mercifully for them both, his pride came into play; his shrewd intelligence also, and his affection for his father—­the most penetrable spot so far in his hard and splendid youth.  He had done his best—­a haughty, ungracious best—­but still he had done it, and in the course of a few days, now that the tension of concealment was over, Sir Arthur had become almost childishly dependent upon him.

A church clock struck somewhere in the distance.  Falloden looked at his watch.  Time to go to some restaurant and dine.  With Gregory’s figures running in his head, he shrank from his Club where he would be sure to meet a host of Harrow and Oxford acquaintance, up for the Varsity match, and the latter end of the season.  After dinner he would look into a music-hall, and about eleven make his way to the Tamworth House ball.

He must come back, however, to Portman Square sometime to dress.  Lady Tamworth had let it be known privately that the Prince and Princess were coming to her ball, and that the men were expected to appear in knee-breeches and silk stockings.  He had told his valet at Flood to pack them; and he supposed that fool of a housemaid would be equal to unpacking for him, and putting out his things.

* * * * *

“How do you do, Douglas?” said Lady Tamworth, an imposing, bejewelled figure standing at the head of the galleried staircase of Tamworth House.  “Saw your father yesterday and thought him looking very seedy.”

“Yes, he’s not the thing,” said Douglas.  “We shall have to get him away to Marienbad, or somewhere of that kind.”

Lady Tamworth looked at him closely, her eyelids fluttering just a little.  Douglas noticed the flutter, and knew very well what it meant.  Lady Tamworth and his father were first cousins.  No doubt all their relations were busy discussing their affairs day and night; the City, he knew, was full of rumours, and certain newspapers had already scented the quarry ahead, and were beginning to make ghoulish hints and gibberings.  As he passed on into the ballroom, every nerve in him was sensitive and alive.  He seemed to have eyes at the back of his head, to catch everywhere the sudden attention, the looks of curiosity, sometimes of malice, that followed him through the crowd.  He spoke to a great many acquaintance, to girls he had been accustomed to dance with and their mothers.  The girls welcomed him just as usual; but the casual or interrupted conversation, which was all the mothers could spare him, showed him very