Then presently, as her secretary was moving towards the door, Her Ladyship remarked irrelevantly: "Look here, girl--Do you think it is in your nature ever to love really, or are you going to let brain conquer always?" "I--do not know," faltered Katherine. "Love is the only thing on earth which is sublime. This evening until you come down after dinner, I recommend you to read the 'Letters of Abelard and Heloise'." * * * * * The Duke talked of politics for a while when he came into his old love's sitting-room--and then of books and ideas, and lastly of Gerard. Was he happy with Beatrice, after all? "Yes, they do very well together. Beatrice is bred out of all natural emotions. She is sexless and well-mannered and unconsciously humorous. They go their own ways." "But Gerard was always an ardent lover. Has he had no emotions since the Alice Southerwood days?" "A transient passion for Läo Delemar, and since then a deep devotion elsewhere--quite unreturned, though. It has rather improved him." The Duke unconsciously felt relief. "Unreturned?--that must be a new experience for him: Gerard has every quality to attract a woman." "This one is infinitely too proud and too intelligent to waste a thought upon a married man." "It is a girl, then! How unlike Gerard's usual taste!" "Yes--Mordryn, shall you open Valfreyne quite soon?" "Immediately--I shall have a party for Whitsuntide, if you will honour me by acting hostess." "All right--if I may bring my _personnel_ with me--a large order! I can't stand the racket without Stirling and James and Harmon, my chauffeur--and Miss Bush." "All are perfectly welcome--especially Miss Bush. She appeared an extremely clever girl when I had the pleasure of talking to her." "Yes, she is a wonderful creature. I am thinking of marrying her off to Sir John Townly." The Duke leaned forward, his voice was quite shocked. "How inhuman, Seraphim! John Townly must be sixty, at least." "My dear Mordryn, that is only seven years older than you are, and I look upon you as hardly yet at the prime of life--and beggars cannot be choosers, the girl is of no family. Neither for that matter is Sir John. It will be suitable in every way----I suppose you will let me have a say as to the guests for the Whitsuntide outbreak, eh?" "Naturally--but spare me any too overmodern widows, or any further breakers in of my sensibilities!" Seraphim laughed, and they set about making the list. But when the Duke had gone to dress, she looked long into the fire, something a little sentimental and yet satisfied in her gaze. "Dear Mordryn--Gerard and the smoking-room caused him uneasiness; it would not have done for that to continue, because of the unpleasant reflection that G. is a married man. Sir John was splendid--but Mordryn is no fool. I must now really oppose him in every possible way----I am not sure if, after all, I shall take her to Valfreyne."