A pair of brown eyes were gravely fixed on her from under the shade of the Leghorn hat. "If you will, please," answered Lady Lyndwood, with never the flicker of a smile. Another coach had arrived with the servants and the baggage. Rose was half-way up the steps. He did not look at his wife, nor she at him. Susannah, under cover of the confusion of arrival, took the Countess's arm. "You look rather fatigued," she ventured, "the roads are rough." "I am very fatigued." They ascended the steps together. In the doorway stood the dowager Countess, radiant in lace and gold silk. If Rose's wife had been of her own choice, she could not have been more gracious. "My dear!" she took the new Countess prettily by the hands. "You are as sweet as Rose described you, and I cannot say more." She kissed her. "Forgive my lord's mother the impertinence of welcoming you to your own house." Lavinia disengaged herself. "I thank you, madam," she said. "Where is Marius?" asked my lord. "He went, as I said, to meet you," replied Susannah. "He must be back any moment." Now Lady Lyndwood looked at her husband, only for a second; her baited glance turned with an expression of relief to Miss Chressham. "Please, I am very tired--sick with the jolting of the coach; might I go to my room?" Before Susannah had time to answer the elder Countess had swept her up the shining oak stairs, in a cloud of graceful speeches. Rose did not look after them. He turned into the library and his cousin followed him. She still held the two red roses, and as he seated himself at the table she drew their stems through the lace at her breast. The Earl rested his cheek on his hand and his elbow on the table. He had not removed his dark-green travelling coat. It set off the grace and fineness of his figure as the high black stock relieved the weary pallor of his face. At the corner of his lip was the familiar bat-shaped patch, and under the paste buckle in his hair the turquoise ribbon he affected. Susannah looked at him. Her cousin, Rose Lyndwood, home again, in his old place! And upstairs, his wife! "I am sorry Marius missed you," she said. He turned his grey eyes on her. "'Tis no matter," he said, in a lifeless manner. Then Miss Chressham threw aside restraint. "Oh, Rose," she cried, coming up to the table. "What have you done? What is she like?" "What makes you say that?" he demanded, raising his head. "Your face--her face!" she answered. "Don't you suppose I can see what this is going to be?" He made a movement with his hand on the table, as if his nerves were strained almost beyond bearing. "It is well enough," he said, looking away. "What did I expect? I suppose my lady is pleased?" "She takes it for granted. She never realised it." The Earl rose and crossed to the fireplace. "And Marius?" "Marius is happy; you have that satisfaction." Susannah's eyes were anxious and tender as she gazed at her cousin.