‘Is there anybody else to escape?’ thought poor Hazel, her breath coming quick.  And then she was so delighted to see Captain Lancaster’s pleasant face, that she shewed it in her own; and the gentleman took an amount of encouragement therefrom which by no means belonged to him.  He waited upon Miss Kennedy for the rest of that evening with a devotion which everybody saw except herself.  No such trifles as a man’s devotion got even a passing notice from her.  For the girl was feeling desperate.  How many times that night had she been betrayed into what she disliked and despised and had said she never would do?  If Rollo had not been there, perhaps she would have felt only shame,—­as it was, for the time it made her reckless.  ‘Le miroir’ gave place to other figures, and still Miss Kennedy shewed no second wish to retire and join the lookers-on.  But every time the demands of the dance made her choose a partner—­when it was her woman’s right to be chosen!—­ every time she was passed rapidly from hand to hand without even the poor power of choice, Wych Hazel avenged it on herself by the sharpest silent comments; while to her partners, she was proud, and reserved, and brilliant, and generally ‘touch-me-not;’ until they too were desperate—­with admiration.

If Rollo was half wild in secret he had the power to keep it to himself.  His demeanour was composed, and not abstracted; his attentions to others, when occasion was, for he did not seek it, as gracefully rendered as usual; he even talked; though through it all it is safe to say he lost nothing of what Wych Hazel was doing.  Nobody would have guessed, not in the secret, that he had any particular attention in that room, or indeed anywhere!  He did not approach Wych Hazel to oblige her to notice him; he would not give her the additional annoyance or himself the useless pain.

Yet, though severely tried that night, he was not unreasonably discouraged.  He partly read Wych Hazel; or he surmised what was at the bottom of her wild gaiety; and he had great tenderness for her.  A tenderness that made him grave at heart and somewhat grave outwardly; but he did not despair, and he bided his time.  He was not irritated that she had broken the bonds of his words, amidst all his profound vexation.  He had heard enough of people’s tongues, and also knew enough of her, to understand pretty well how it was.  He would not even look another remonstrance that night; only, he resolved to stay out the evening and at least see the girl safe in her carriage to go home.  He would not go with her either this time.

‘Hazel,’ whispered Miss Fisher, in one of the figure pauses, ’slip out quietly at the side door when the break-up begins, and we’ll have a lark.  Stuart says he’ll drive me home, if I’ll coax you to go along.  You can stay with me to-night.  We’ll go a little before everybody, you know,’ she added persuasively, for Hazel hesitated.  ’And the Duke need never know.’