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‘It is too late now,’ he said, and the back of his head looked inflexibly obstinate; ‘we have kept asunder too long.’

‘No,’ I said, ‘listen. I take more interest in you than you are, perhaps, aware of, and I have thought of a little plan for bringing you together again. What if I find an opportunity to see the lady she belongs to–we have not met lately, as you know, and I do not pretend that I desire a renewal of our intimacy—-‘

‘You like the one on the grey best; I saw that long ago,’ he said; and I left him in his error.

‘In any case, for your sake, I will sacrifice myself,’ I said magnanimously. ‘I will begin to-morrow. Come, you will not let your lives be wrecked by a foolish lovers’ quarrel?’

He made a little half-hearted opposition, but finally, as I knew he would, consented. I had gained my point: I was free from Miss Gittens at last!

That evening I met Diana in the hall of a house in Eaton Square. She was going downstairs as I was making my way to the ball-room, and greeted me with a rather cool little nod.

‘You have quite deserted me lately,’ she said, smiling, but I could read the reproach in her eyes, ‘you never ride with us now.’

My throat was swelling with passionate eloquence–and I could not get any of it out.

‘No, I never do,’ was all my stupid tongue could find to say.

‘You have discovered a more congenial companion,’ said cruel Diana.

‘Miss Chetwynd,’ I said eagerly, ‘you don’t know how I have been wishing–! Will you let me ride with you to-morrow, as–as you used to do?’

‘You are quite sure you won’t be afraid of my naughty Wild Rose?’ she said. ‘I have given her such a scolding, that I think she is thoroughly ashamed of herself.’

‘You thought it was that that kept me!’ I cried. ‘Oh, if I could tell you!’

She smiled: she was my dear, friendly Diana again.

‘You shall tell me all about it to-morrow,’ she said. ‘You will not have another opportunity, because we are going to Aix on Friday. And now, good-night. I am stopping the way, and the linkman is getting quite excited over it.’

She passed on, and the carriage rolled away with her, and I was too happy to mind very much–had she not forgiven me? Should we not meet to-morrow? I should have two whole hours to declare myself in, and this time I would dally with Fortune no longer.

How excited I was the following day: how fearful, when the morning broke grey and lowering: how grateful, when the benignant sun shone out later, and promised a brilliant afternoon: how carefully I dressed, and what a price I paid for the flower for my buttonhole!

So we cantered on to the Row, as goodly a couple (if I may be pardoned this retrospective vanity) as any there; and by and by, I saw, with the quick eye of a lover, Diana’s willowy form in the distance. She was not alone, but I knew that the Colonel would soon have to yield his place to me.

As soon as she saw me, she urged her mare to a trot, and came towards me with the loveliest faint blush and dawning smile of welcome, when, all at once, Brutus came to a dead stop, which nearly threw me on his neck, and stood quivering in every limb.

‘Do you see that?’ he said hoarsely. ‘And I was about to forgive her!’

I saw: my insinuation, baseless enough at the beginning, was now but too well justified. Colonel Cockshott was on his raw-boned brown hunter, and even my brief acquaintance with horses enabled me to see that Wild Rose no longer regarded him with her former indifference.

Diana and the Colonel had reined up and seemed waiting for me–would Brutus never move? ‘Show your pride,’ I said in an agonised whisper, ‘Treat her with the contempt she deserves!’