“Your Ladyship means Leonard, I presume,” interposed Linton, with an air of courtesy, while, plainer than any words, his glance said, “My revenge is coming!” “Leonard!” exclaimed Lord Kilgoff, with a look of horror. “Give Leonard that bracelet! the mould of which I refused to the Princess of Hohenhoffingen, and which I made Storr destroy in my own presence!” “You perceive, my Lord,” cried Lady Janet, “her Ladyship is less exclusive than you are.” “And generous enough to admire what may belong to another,” added Linton, but in a tone only audible by Lady Kilgoff. “We have got a few minutes before dinner, madam. I must beg you will employ them in writing to Mr. Leonard to return the bracelet at once. Say it was a mistake on your part,--an inadvertence,--and done without my knowledge. Caution the man, too, about appropriating any portion of the design, and remind him that articles of _virtu_ are protected by the Act of copyright.” “We had better delay the postboy, my Lord,” said Linton; “he starts at seven precisely.” “Do so, sir.” “Dinner!” cried the butler, flinging wide the folding-doors. “Could we delay that pleasant summons a few minutes, Mr. Cashel?” said Lord Kilgoff. “It will not be necessary on my account, sir; I 'll write to-morrow.” And this she said with an air of haughty defiance that never failed to subdue the old peer's petulance; and then, accepting Cashel's arm, moved on without a word. “Where is it? that's the question!” whispered Mrs. White to Lady Janet. “Take you two to one it's not at Leonard's,” said Frobisher. “Give you an even fifty, Linton knows all about it,” replied Upton. “And ten to two that he 'll never tell!” chimed in Miss Meek; and so they took their places at the table. CHAPTER XVIII. THE OLD FRIENDS IN COUNCIL I could an I would, Sir Harry. Old Play. While the gay company at Tubbermore dined sumptuously, and enjoyed the luxuries of a splendid table with no other alloy to their pleasure than the _ennui_ of people whose fastidiousness has grown into malady, Mr. Corrigan sat in council at the cottage with his ancient ally, the doctor. There was an appearance of constraint over each,--very unusual with men who had been friends from boyhood; and in their long pauses, and short, abrupt sentences, might be read the absence of that confiding spirit which had bound them so many years like brothers.