“And now, Mr. Loftus, positively I must insist on your leaving me quietly here.  I am quite sure you are wanted outside, and I should blame myself if you wasted another minute on me.  It was only the sun which affected me.  Don’t mention it to Edward.  He is always so fussy about me.  I will rest quietly here for a quarter of an hour, and then rejoin you all again in the garden.”

* * * * *

“I hope I am not disturbing any one,” said Lord Newhaven, quietly entering the smoking-room.  “Well, Scarlett, how are you getting on?”

Hugh, who was lying on a sofa with his arms raised and his hands behind his head, looked up, and his expression changed.

“He was thinking of something uncommonly pleasant,” thought Lord Newhaven, “not of me or mine, I fancy.  I have come to smoke a cigarette in peace,” he added aloud, “if you don’t object.”

“Of course not.”

Lord Newhaven lit his cigarette and puffed a moment in silence.

“Hot outside,” he said.

Hugh nodded.  He wondered how soon he could make a pretext for getting up and leaving the room.

There was a faint silken rustle, and Lady Newhaven, pale, breathless, came swiftly in and closed the door.  The instant afterwards she saw her husband, and shrank back with a little cry.  Lord Newhaven did not look at her.  His eyes were fixed on Hugh.

Hugh’s face became suddenly ugly, livid.  He rose slowly to his feet, and stood motionless.

“He hates her,” said Lord Newhaven to himself.  And he removed his glance and came forward.

“You were looking for me, Violet?” he remarked.  “I have no doubt you are wishing to return home.  We will go at once.”  He threw away his cigarette.  “Well, good-bye, Scarlett, in case we don’t meet again.  I dare say you will pay Westhope a visit later on.  Ah, Captain Pratt! so you have fled, like us, from the madding crowd.  I can recommend Loftus’s cigarettes.  I have just had one myself.  Good-bye.  Did you leave your purchases in the hall, Violet?  Yes?  Then we will collect them on our way.”

The husband and wife were half-way down the grand staircase before Lord Newhaven said, in his usual even voice: 

“I must ask you once more to remember that I will not have any scandal attaching to your name.  Did not you see that that white mongrel Pratt was on your track?  If I had not been there when he came in he would have drawn his own vile conclusions, and for once they would have been correct.”

“He could not think worse of me than you do,” said the wife, half cowed, half defiant.

“No, but he could say so, which I don’t; or, what is more probable, he could use his knowledge to obtain a hold over you.  He is a dangerous man.  Don’t put yourself in his power.”

“I don’t want to, or in anybody’s.”

“Then avoid scandal instead of courting it, and don’t repeat the folly of this afternoon.”