“It’s nearly two o’clock,” he said.  “In fact it’s tomorrow morning!”

Just then Jocelyn came up.

“Are you going?” he inquired.  “Well, perhaps it’s time!  May I see you to your carriage?”

Miss Leigh gratefully accepted this suggestion—­and Innocent, smiling her “good-night” to partners whom she had disappointed, walked with her through the long vista of rooms, Jocelyn leading the way.  They soon ran the gauntlet of the ladies’ cloak-room and the waiting mob of footmen and chauffeurs that lined the long passage leading to the entrance-hall, and Jocelyn, going out into the street succeeded in finding their modest little hired motor-brougham and assisting them into it.

“Good-night, Miss Leigh!” he said, leaning on the door of the vehicle and smiling at them through the open window—­“Good-night, Miss Armitage!  I hope you are not very tired?”

“I am not tired at all!” she answered, with a thrill of joy in her voice like the note of a sweet bird.  “I have been so very happy!”

He smiled.  His face was pale and looked unusually handsome,—­she stretched one little hand out to him.

“Good-night, ‘Sieur Amadis!’”

He bent down and kissed it.

“Good-night!”

The motor began to move—­another moment, and they were off.  Innocent sank back in the brougham with a sigh.

“You are tired, child!—­you must be!” said Miss Leigh.

“No, godmother mine!  That sigh was one of pleasure.  It has been a most wonderful evening!—­wonderful!”

“It was certainly very brilliant,” agreed Miss Leigh.  “And I’m glad you were made so much of, my dear!  That was as it ought to be.  Lord Blythe told me he had seldom met so charming a girl!”

Innocent sat up suddenly.  “Lord Blythe?  Do you know him?”

“No, I cannot say I really know him,” replied Miss Leigh.  “I’ve met him several times—­and his wife too—­there was some scandal about her years and years ago before she was married—­nobody ever knew exactly what it was, and her people hushed it up.  I daresay it wasn’t very much.  Anyhow Lord Blythe married her—­and he’s a very fine man with a great position.  I thought I saw you talking to Lady Blythe?”

“Yes”—­Innocent spoke almost mechanically—­“I had a few minutes’ conversation with her.”

“She’s very handsome,” went on Miss Leigh.  “She used to be quite beautiful.  A pity she has no children.”

Innocent was silent.  The motor-brougham glided along.

“You and Mr. Jocelyn seem to get on very well together,” observed the old lady, presently.  “He is a very ‘taking’ man—­but I wonder if he is quite sincere?”

Innocent’s colour rose,—­fortunately the interior of the brougham was too dark for her face to be seen.

“Why should he not be?” she asked—­“Surely with his great art, he would be more sincere than most men?”