"
I put my hand in his, and felt his lips upon it, but I bore it.
"Then it is a bargain," he said. "We are enemies no longer, and I
promise to let Nora alone. If only the women would always let me alone!
What, are you going back to that hot room? And the May moon in the sky,
the lovers' moon! Stay with me a little while, because I've been a good
boy and promised you what you asked. You could wind me round your little
finger. There's nothing I wouldn't do to please you."
The end of his protestations fell on empty air, for I had lifted the
curtain and re-entered the drawing-room.
When I came in, with Richard Dawson following me, I was annoyed to find
that my grandfather and Mr. Dawson had come into the drawing-room, and
were standing near the fireplace. Both looked round, and I thought my
grandfather's face wore a startled look, while Mr. Dawson's for an
instant beamed excessive gratification.
I hoped that Lord and Lady St. Leger could not think that I tolerated
with any patience the attentions of Richard Dawson. Seeing that they
believed me bound by some childish promise to my cousin Theobald that
was not very likely. And I could not explain to them why I had gone out
on the balcony alone with Richard Dawson.
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