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Lady Holme watched the whole performance imperturbably, but before the final curtain fell she knew that she was not going to throw cold water on that flame which was burning within her. Fritz's behaviour, perhaps, decided which of the two actions should be carried out the douching or the fanning. Possibly Leo Ulford had something to say in the matter too.
Lady Cardington, Sir Donald Ulford, and one or two others began to feel as if their dream took form and stepped out of the mystic realm towards the light of day. Sir Donald seemed specially moved by the change. It was almost as if something within him blossomed, warmed by the breath of spring. Lady Holme wondered whether he knew of the fight between her husband and his son.
In the deep autumn Sir Donald Ulford had died rather suddenly, and it was found in his will that he had left his newly-acquired property, Casa Felice, to Lady Holme, who as everybody had long ago discovered was already living there in strict retirement, while her husband was amusing himself in various Continental towns.
"Plenty of money," said "Henry," in a low voice that seemed to issue from the bridge of his nose; "it ought to bring a good six thousand into the house for the four weeks. That's for Miss Schley for the Syndicate ten per cent. on the gross, and twenty-five per cent. He found himself in mental arithmetic. "The swan with the golden eggs!" said Lady Holme, lightly, turning once more to Leo Ulford.
I absolve you from the invitation." "I repeat it, then." "I accept it, then again." Sir Donald went away thoughtfully. When he reached the Albany he found Mrs. Leo Ulford waiting for him in tears. They had a long interview. Many people fancied that Sir Donald looked more ghostly, more faded even than usual as the season wore on.
She called Leo Ulford with a sharp nod. He hesitated, and began to look supremely uncomfortable, twisting the bouquet of carnations round and round in nervous hands. "I've been simply expiring all season to hear you sing," Miss Schley continued. "How sweet of you!" "That is so. Mr. Ulford, please bring my flowers." Leo had no alternative but to obey.
As time went on he really began to look almost lantern-jawed. He bent forward and tried to catch Mr. Laycock's eye and to telegraph an urgent question, but only succeeded in meeting the surly blue eyes of Leo Ulford, whom he met to-night for the first time. In his despair he turned towards Mrs. Leo, and at once encountered the ear-trumpet.
In truth, it had at least one merit from the woman's point of view it was decisively masculine. Whether Leo Ulford was, or was not, a blackguard; as Mrs. Trent had declared, did not matter to her. Three-quarters of the men she knew were blackguards according to the pinched ideas of Little Peddlington; and Mrs. Trent might originally have issued from there.
She was thinking of Robin then, and Fritz. "Did you know Robin Pierce was here to-day?" she asked. "Yes. I saw him leave you." "You saw but how long have you been watching?" "A long time." "Where do you come from?" He pointed towards the distant lights behind her and before him. "Opposite. I was to have stayed with Ulford in Casa Felice. I'm staying with him over there." "With Sir Donald?" "Yes.
Had Leo Ulford been talking? "Lady Holme," he went on, "I am taking a liberty. I know that. It's a thing I have never done before, knowingly. Don't think me unconscious of what I am doing. But I am an old man, and old men can sometimes venture allowance is sometimes made for them. I want to claim that allowance now for what I am going to say." "Well?" she said, neither hardly nor gently.
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