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Lord Berne frowned That had beenJack had been totally oblivious to all Miss Desmond’s efforts to draw hirams, for heaven’s sake!

Since no wodon over himself, Lord Berne had assu to spur a rivalry Still, it was rather lowering to find he could not understand a word of the Latin which has roused Jack froe in the first place?

“You know, Father, she is a very strange girl,” said the viscount thoughtfully

“Of course she’s strange Look who her father is And her mother was an actress What do you expect?”

The frown deepened Des women instinctively viewed Lord Berne with a wary eye, if not outright hostility But Devil Desard the viscount as an endlessly a joke Whenever and whatever the Devil was about, Tony always felt as though theat him, even when there wasn’t the faintest flicker of a smile on his satanic face Desmond would not, Tony reflected, be quite so amused when his memoirs disappeared

“Well?” said Lord Streetha all day?”

“I can hardly run after them this very moment, sir They’ve scarcely left And it would look too particular if I did so to behind?”

“No,” was the curt reply “I had their rooms sear—inspected shortly after they left”

“Doubtless Jack’s forgotten so He always does when his valet isn’t by to look after hiley in a day or two to return whatever it is, then call on Lady Potterby I hope that’s satisfactory?”

Lord Streetham was about to voice his opinion that it was not, but a moment’s reflection, stopped him, for he did not want to awaken any suspicions at Lady Potterby’s Oddly enough, there was souments Thus the earl answered sarcastically that he must, by all means, patiently await his son’s convenience

Chapter Five

Her restless hands folded tightly before her, Miss Desreat aunt It was late afternoon and the still air which hung like a thick blanket over the countryside hung heavier still in her luxuriously appointed guest chamber Lady Potterby flitted about the roo up one after another the gar unhappily At theat the beloved amber silk

“Good heavens, child, were you so distant from civilisation that you could not obtain a copy of La Belle Asseht from the schoolroom bare their bosoms in public it is absurd for a woman of twenty to be swathed up to the neck I realise your endowlance at her grand niece’s bosom, “but if you hide them, the world will think you hide some deformity That is, if they do not conclude you are a stru to pass as a chaste maiden”

“Then the world,” said Miss Desmond irritably

“Even if that is so, it is most impolite to mention it, particularly in those tere? But why do I ask? Your papa never troubles to curb his tongue, regardless who is present Don’t slouch, Delilah Poor posture is both unbecoar, and it will only draw added attention to your figure”

Certainly there was no hint of vulgarity about Lady Potterby Her lace cap was ioas the epitoht flutter, but she did so with all the dignity appropriate to her station Everything about her was exactly coe, too clu

“I’ure is so unfashionable, but I’m afraid there is no way to amend it”