"My lady must beguile you to be less formal with us," said
Dunstanwolde. And later her ladyship spoke as her husband had
privately desired: "My lord would be made greatly happy if your
Grace would honour our house oftener," she said one night, when at
the end of a great ball he was bidding her adieu.
Osmonde's deep eye met hers gently and held it. "My Lord
Dunstanwolde is always gracious and warm of heart to his kinsman,"
he replied. "Do not let him think me discourteous or ungrateful.
In truth, your ladyship, I am neither the one nor the other."
The eyes of each gazed into the other's steadfastly and gravely.
The Duke of Osmonde thought of Juno's as he looked at hers; they
were of such velvet, and held such fathomless deeps.
"Your Grace is not so free as lesser men," Clorinda said. "You
cannot come and go as you would."
"No," he answered gravely, "I cannot, as I would."
And this was all.
It having been known by all the world that, despite her beauty and
her conquests, Mistress Clorinda Wildairs had not smiled with great
favour upon Sir John Oxon in the country, it was not wondered at or
made any matter of gossip that the Countess of Dunstanwolde was but
little familiar with him and saw him but rarely at her house in
town.
Once or twice he had appeared there, it is true, at my Lord
Dunstanwolde's instance, but my lady herself scarce seemed to see
him after her first courtesies as hostess were over.
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