She left the room, and Drake went back to the duke, talked for a moment or two, then went up to the countess' room and waited. He had to face an ordeal more severe than any other that had hitherto fallen to his not uneventful life; but faced it had to be; and he would have gone through fire and water to save Nell a moment's pain. Besides, Luce was to be considered, though, it must be confessed, he felt little pity for her. Presently the door opened; but it was Burden who entered. She was looking pale and emaciated, as if she were either very ill, or recovering from illness, and Drake, even at that moment of strain and stress, noticed her pitiable appearance. "How do you do, Burden?" he said. "I am afraid you have not been well." Burden curtsied, and looked up at him with hollow eyes. "Thank you, my lord," she faltered. "My lady sent me to tell your lordship that she will be here in a minute or two." She left the room, and Drake leaned against the mantelshelf with his hands in his pockets, his head sunk on his breast; and in a minute or two the door opened again, and Luce glided toward him with outstretched hands. "Drake! How sweet of you to send for me--to wait!" she murmured. He took one of her hands and held it, and the coldness of his touch, the expression of his face, startled her. "Drake! What is the matter?" she asked. "Are--are you not glad to see me? Why do you look at me so strangely? I came the moment I could get away. There has been so much to do; and father"--she paused a moment and shrugged her shoulders--"has been very bad. The excitement and fuss----You know the condition he would be in, under the circumstances. I told Burden to wire this morning to say I was coming, but she forgot to do so. She seems half demented, and I am going to get rid of her. What is the matter, Drake?" She had moved nearer to him, expecting him to take her in his arms and kiss her; but his coldness, his silence, was telling upon her, and the question broke from her impatiently. "Haven't you had my letter?" he asked. "Your letter? No. Did you write? I am sorry! What did you write?" "I wrote"--he hesitated a moment, but what was the good of trying to "break" the news? "I wrote to tell you of my engagement----" She started and stared at him. "Your engagement! Your----Drake! What do you mean? Your engagement! To--to whom?" "Sit down, Luce," he said gravely, tenderly, and he went to lead her to a chair; but she shook her hand free and stood, still staring at him blankly, her face growing paler. "I wrote and told you all about it. I am engaged to Miss Lorton. You do not know her; but she is the young lady I met at Shorne Mills, the place in Devonshire----I was engaged to her then, but it was broken off, and we were separated for a time; but we met again----I am sorry, very sorry, that you did not get my letter."