She could not take his hand, but swept him a charming courtesy, with every appearance of marked respect; then, with very bright eyes, and her slender form very erect, she turned to greet her ladyship, and was soon chatting upon the most friendly terms with her. “By Jove!” muttered Lord Dunforth to himself, “she understands herself perfectly. The most critical could find no fault with her greeting; and yet to me it is very evident I shall be obliged to hoist a flag of truce before we can come to any terms of peace. I’m glad of it,” he added, his eyes resting admiringly upon the bright face: “it just suits me. My own Meta was not more regal.” Turning to Adrian, he said, with a suspicious tremble in his voice: “I heartily congratulate you, my boy. Shall there be peace between us?” “Certainly, my dear sir, if——” “I understand you,” he interrupted, “and I find no flaw in her. Indeed, Adrian, I am as proud of your triumph to-night as you can possibly be.” “Thank you. If you had read the letter I wrote you all unpleasantness might have been avoided, for in it I explained that she is a niece of your—of a Miss Douglas whom you used to know,” Adrian returned. “I know all about it, my boy,” his lordship said, in a husky voice. “I discovered all the other day when I met your wife at Capel & Armand’s.” “Yes, she told me you were there.” “What! did she recognize me?” and the color flew to his face, as he recalled Brownie’s entire self-possession, and how she had ignored his presence. “Oh, yes; you know she was at Castle Dunforth several weeks since, and it is not likely she would forget you so soon, especially as she already knew so much about you.” “True,” he muttered, with a troubled look, adding: “I shall call upon you immediately, Adrian, and I hope to persuade you to return to us—we are very lonely.” “Thank you; but we will talk further of that another time. We shall be delighted to see you at the Langham, and I have much more to tell you regarding the circumstances of the past three or four weeks,” Adrian returned, gravely. Meanwhile Isabel and her mother were in anything but a comfortable frame of mind. They had been thunderstruck upon beholding Brownie, in all her glory, leaning upon Adrian’s arm. There was no enjoyment for them after that uncomfortable encounter, and, pleading fatigue, they persuaded Sir Charles to withdraw almost immediately, while they racked their brains trying to solve the riddle of the young girl’s escape from that secret chamber. They had returned from Paris rather earlier than they had anticipated, their arrangements regarding the trousseau having been more easily effected than they had expected, so, as Sir Charles was anxious to be back at Vallingham Hall to superintend some alterations which he desired completed before his marriage, they had hastened home. On reaching London they had found cards awaiting them for the ball at Manchester House, and remained to attend the festivities.