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Updated: May 26, 2025
Many remembered that Verdayne, like an uncle of his, Lord Hubert Aldringham, had been much given to foreign travel in his younger days and had made many friends and acquaintances among the nobility and royalty of other lands, and although it was strange, they thought it was not at all improbable that the lad was connected with some one of those great families across the Channel.
He did not like the look in the heavy-lidded eyes of his host, and some quick instinct prevented him from giving his own name so he fell back upon that of his mother's family. And now a third occupant of the house entered a tall young man of the most unpleasant appearance. "My cousin Michael," said Ivanovitch in an even voice, "Michael, this is Mr. Aldringham, an English traveller."
"You are most welcome, I assure you, sir. We are delighted to have your company. It is a pleasure which seldom comes to us in this lonely spot. My name," he added, stretching out his hand to Paul, "is Boris Ivanovitch, and this lady," turning to his companion, "is my sister." Paul bowed to the red-haired woman. "Aldringham is my name," he said, as he grasped the gentleman's outstretched hand.
He pictured Opal his love as the wife of that old French libertine, till his soul revolted at the very thought. Such a thing was beyond belief. Once he said to Verdayne, thinking of the conversation he had had with Opal on the night of the ball at the Plaza, "Father Paul, who was Lord Hubert Aldringham? The name sounds so familiar to me yet I can't recall where I heard it."
Lord Hubert Aldringham was fond of boasting of his royal acquaintances, and was of a mind that found "not even Lancelot brave, nor Galahad clean." Now all Paul could do was to wait and hope. At least his Queen had his address. She could write to him, even though he could not write to her and surely, surely, some news of her must come.
He stood still, with his hand on the panel of the door, and gave a short, quick gasp which caused Paul to look at him sharply. That form struck Paul as strangely familiar. The fat man closed the door behind him gently, and came into the centre of the room. "Mr. Aldringham," said Ivanovitch, "allow me to present Monsieur Virot, who acts as manager of our estates."
"You are too young to have heard the story, Alice, but her grandmother a black-eyed Spanish lady of high rank was made quite unpleasantly notorious by her associations with a brother of Lady Henrietta Verdayne. He was an unprincipled roué this Lord Hubert Aldringham a libertine who openly boasted of the conquests he had made abroad.
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