‘We love them.’

‘Why, then we beat a wing—­yes.’

’For I have them when I want them to sight.  It is the feet are so desirous.  I feel them so this morning, after prisonership.  I could not have been driven to my lord.’

‘I know the feeling,’ said Gower; ’any movement of us not our own impulse, hurries the body and deadens the mind.  And by the way, my dear lady, I spoke of the earl’s commands to this man behind us walking with your Madge.  My father would accuse me of Jesuitry.  Ines mentioned commands, and I took advantage of it.’

‘I feared,’ said Carinthia.  ‘I go for my chance.’

Gower had a thought of the smaller creature, greater by position, to whom she was going for her chance.  He alluded to his experience of the earl’s kindness in relation to himself, from a belief in his ‘honesty’; dotted outlines of her husband’s complex character, or unmixed and violently opposing elements.

She remarked:  ‘I will try and learn.’

The name of the street of beautiful shops woke a happy smile on her mouth.  ’Father talked of it; my mother, too.  He has it written down in his Book of Maxims.  When I was a girl, I dreamed of one day walking up Bond Street.’

They stepped from the pavement and crossed the roadway for a side-street leading to the square.  With the swift variation of her aspect at times, her tone changed.

’We are near.  My lord will not be troubled by me.  He has only to meet me.  There has been misunderstanding.  I have vexed him; I could not help it.  I will go where he pleases after I have heard him give orders.  He thinks me a frightful woman.  I am peaceful.’

Gower muttered her word ‘misunderstanding.’  They were at the earl’s house door.  One tap at it, and the two applicants for admission would probably be shot as far away from Lord Fleetwood as when they were on the Styrian heights last autumn.  He delivered the tap, amused by the idea.  It was like a summons to a genie of doubtful service.

My lord was out riding in the park.

Only the footman appeared at that early hour, and his countenance was blank whitewash as he stood rigid against the wall for the lady to pass.  Madge followed into the morning room; Ines remained in the hall, where he could have the opening speech with his patron, and where he soon had communication with the butler.

This official entered presently to Gower, presenting a loaded forehead.  A note addressed to Mrs. Kirby-Levellier at the Countess Livia’s house hard by was handed to him for instant despatch.  He signified a deferential wish to speak.

‘You can speak in the presence of the Countess of Fleetwood, Mr. Waytes,’ Gower said.

Waytes checked a bend of his shoulders.  He had not a word, and he turned to send the note.  He was compelled to think that he saw a well-grown young woman in the Whitechapel Countess.