“Yes, I shall go,” I promised.  “I scarcely see the use of it, but I will go.”

“You must not be foolish,” she said softly.  “Sir Michael is very rich> and you are his only near relative.  Besides, you have had such a lonely time, and it is quite time that you saw a little of the other side of life.  Sir Michael is a particular friend of mine, and I promised him that I would talk to you about this.  I am most anxious to hear that you get on well together.  You can be amiable if you like, you know, and you can be very much the other thing.”

“I will try,” I assured her, “not to be the other thing.”  She smiled.

“And tell me all about Braster.”

“There is not much to tell,” I answered.  “I have been hard at work all the time, and I have scarcely seen a soul.”

“The woman—­Mrs. Smith-Lessing?”

“She left Braster before you.  I have not seen her since the evening of the day I saw her last.”

She appeared relieved.

“May I ask you a question?” I asked.  She nodded.  “About Colonel Ray.  Has the Duke forgiven him?”

“On the contrary, he is more bitter than ever,” Lady Angela answered.  “I have seen him once or twice only.  He does not come here.”  “I saw in the paper,” I said, “that your engage—­”

“It is not true,” she interrupted.  “Everything is as it was.  But it is shockingly indefinite, of course.  I scarcely know whether I am to consider myself an engaged person or not.  Colonel Ray offered to release me, but we agreed to wait for a little time.”

“Lady Angela!”

She looked at me with a soft flush upon her cheeks.  But my words were never spoken.  The Duke entered the room, brilliant in sash and orders.

“Good evening, Ducaine,” he said, looking at me with slightly lifted eyebrows.

“Good evening, your Grace,” I answered in some embarrassment.

“I sent for Mr. Ducaine,” Lady Angela remarked, stooping that her maid, who had followed the Duke, might arrange her cloak.  “I wanted to hear all about Braster, and I had a message for him from Sir Michael Trogoldy.”

The Duke made no remark.

“I shall require you, Ducaine, at ten o’clock to-morrow morning in my study,” he said.  “Afterwards we go over to the War Office.  You have brought all the papers with you?—­If you are quite ready, Angela.”

The Duke, without saying a word, had managed to make me feel that he considered my presence in the drawing-room with Lady Angela superfluous, but her smile and farewell were quite sufficient recompense for me.  Still, I knew that this living together under the same roof was to be no unmixed blessing for me.  I shut myself in the dainty little sitting-room which I was told was mine, and turned the key in the door.  I felt the need of solitude.

* * * * *

Later in the evening I became mundane again.  I remembered that I had sent dinner away, and though I had only to ring the bell and order something, I felt the need of fresh air.  So I took up my hat and stick and left the house.