He grasped her hand, passed his other arm around her.  There was resistance, but Dyce used his strength in earnest.  The girl’s beauty fired him; he became the fervid lover, leaving her no choice between high resentment and frank surrender.  Indignation was dying out of May’s look.  She ceased to struggle, she bent her head to his shoulder.

“Isn’t that much better?” he whispered, laughingly.  “Isn’t that the way out of our difficulties?”

May allowed him to breathe a few more such soothing sentences, then spoke with troubled accent.

“But you don’t understand.  What must Lord Dymchurch think of me—­ believing that you are engaged?”

“I’ll tell him the truth.  I’ll go and tell him at once.”

“But still you don’t understand.  My aunt wants me to marry him.”

“I know she does, and know she’ll be disappointed,” cried Dyce, exultantly.

“But do you suppose that Lord Dymchurch will stay here any longer?  He will leave this very morning, I’m sure he will.  My aunt will want to know what it means.  There’ll be dreadful explanations.”

“Keep calm, May.  If we lose our courage, it’s all over with us.  We have to deal boldly with Lady Ogram.  Remember that she is very old and weak; I’m perfectly sure she can’t resist you and me if we speak to her in the proper way—­quietly and reasonably and firmly.  We have made up our minds, haven’t we?  You are mine, dearest May!  There’s no more doubt about that!”

“Miss Bride will be our deadly enemy,” said May, again yielding to his caresses.

“Enemy!” Dyce exclaimed.  “Why?”

“Surely you don’t need to be told.  She dislikes me already (as 1 do her), and now she will hate me.  She’ll do her best to injure us with Lady Ogram.”

“You’re mistaken.  I have only to see her and talk to her—­as I will, this morning.  Before luncheon, she shall be firmly on our side, I promise you!  Don’t have the least anxiety about her.  The only serious difficulty is with Lady Ogram.”

“You mean to tell Miss Bride the truth?” exclaimed May.  “You mean to tell her what has happened this morning?  I forbid you to do so!  I forbid you!”

“I didn’t mean anything of the kind,” replied Lashmar.  “To Dymchurch of course I shall speak quite freely:  there’s no choice.  To Miss Bride I shall only say that I want our sham engagement to come to an end, because I am in love with you.  The presence of Dymchurch here will be quite enough to explain my sudden action don’t you see?  I assure you, she must be made our friend, and I can do it.”

“If you do, it’ll be a miracle,” said May, with a face of utter misgiving.

“It would be, perhaps, for any other man.  Now, we have no time to lose.  I must see Dymchurch immediately.  I shall hurry round inside the park wall, and come up to the front of the house, like an ordinary visitor.  Election business will account for the early hour, if Lady Ogram hears about it; but she isn’t likely to be down before eleven, is she?  Don’t let us lose any more time, darling.  Go back quietly, and let no one see that anything has happened.  Don’t worry; in a quarter of an hour, Dymchurch shall know that there’s not a shadow of blame upon you.”