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This, however, was not only the face of a ender Lord Streetha the e had ever produced He was also Jack’s oldest friend

“Yes, it’s rimace as he rubbed the back of his head

“What brings you here—up and about at this ungodly hour? And as usual, never looking where you went Why, I nearly threw you down in my haste”

“That’s quite all right, Tony,” said Mr Langdon “I’ on my face”

Lord Berne’s innocent countenance i “Oh, yes, I heard about that Too bad about Miss Pelliston”

Mr Langdon winced He had not been aware that his failure was coossip

“Still, that’s the way of love,” the viscount consoled “Plants you a facer every now and then The secret is to pick yourself up and march on to the next battle We civilians ton”

He threw an arm about his friend’s shoulder and led him down the stairs “First, you want sustenance We shall breakfast together Then, youvisit I’ed to court Lady Jane Gathers Of course she’ll ement is infallible, as he incessantly reminds me”

Since Lord Berne had a tendency to run on wherever his fancy took hiues could continue for hours if not ruthlessly interrupted and hauled back to the point

Accordingly, Jack cut in “You don’t usually ruralise at inns—at least not so close to hos you here?”

“A wench of course What else? Perhaps you have not yet met the fair and saucy Sarah? No matter I scarcely saw her either, for I’d no sooner stepped into the coffee roolected amid the storm-tossed rabble

“What choice had I but to come to the dark-haired damsel’s aid?”

“Lady Jane will hardly appreciate that sort of knight errantry,” said Jack as they stepped into the e

“Lady Jane is deter about suchin h

er I only wish her face were ether, you and I,” Tony offered

He deftly steered his preoccupied friend into the public dining room “Perhaps you’ll steal her away Actually, Jack, I wish you would She’s all very well, but I’m not ready—Good God! Where did she come from? With my noble sire, no less Where in blazes did he come from?”

Mr Langdon followed his coaze past the enormous communal table to a quiet corner near the fireplace There Mr Des with the Earl of Streetham

Though the last thing in this world Jack wanted was interaction with any of the three, he could hardly expect Tony to ignore his own father, particularly when that parent was in the co worip on his friend’s ar him towards the table

Jack e with apparent fascination a s sheep which hung upon the wall some inches above Miss Desmond’s head Dimly he heard introductions and a number of what he was certain were falsehoods as the earl and his son respectively accounted for their appearance at the Black Cat

Mr Langdon nudged himself to proper attention when he heard the earl renew his pleas that the Desuests at Streetham Close Since his lordship addressed his requests priathered that she was the more reluctant of the pair In the next ht be expected, Miss Desmond capitulated

Having completed their meal, the trio soon left, one of the adoration from Lord Berne that the waiter knocked over two chairs in his haste to reach the table, so certain was he the young gentleer

Mr Langdon, being inured to his companion’s fits of romantic stupefaction, took no notice Their breakfast was speedily served, and while they ate, Jack calmly explained why he could not visit Streetha him, he said He was not in a huh in months These and other lame excuses received short shrift from the Viscount Berne

“You only want to go off to hide and feel sorry for yourself, Jack, and that’s unhealthy To wish to be elsewhere when this exotic floill be under ain If those grey eyes of hers don’t restore you to manhood, I don’t knoill”