Part 11 (1/2)

He never thought of any other danger; that his son had fallen in love or wanted to marry never occurred to him. He was glad when he reached Dunmore House; the old housekeeper met him in the hall.

”I have dinner ready, my lord,” she said. ”Lord Chandos told me you were coming.”

He looked round expectantly.

”Is not Lord Chandos here?” he asked.

It occurred to him that the housekeeper looked troubled and distressed.

”No,” she replied, ”he is not staying here--they are staying in the Queen's Hotel, in Piccadilly.”

”They,” he cried, ”whom do you mean by they? Has Lord Chandos friends with him?”

The woman's face grew pale. She shrunk perceptibly from the keen, gray eyes.

”I understood his lords.h.i.+p that he was not alone,” she replied. ”I may have made a mistake. I understood him also that he should be with you by eight this evening, when you had finished dinner.”

”Why could he not dine with me?” he thought. ”Sends a telegram for me, and then leaves me to dine alone. It is not like Lance.”

But thinking over it would not solve the mystery; the earl went to his room and dressed for dinner. He had ordered a bottle of his favorite Madeira, of which wonderful tales were told.

Then he sat thinking about his son, and his heart softened toward him.

He thought of the handsome, curly-headed young boy whose grand spirit no one but my lady could subdue. He laughed aloud as he remembered the struggles between himself and his heir--they had always ended in his defeat; but when my lady came on the scene it was quite another thing, the defeat was on the other side then, and my Lord Chandos was usually carried off defeated and conquered.

He thought of the handsome stripling who used to wander about the grounds at Cawdor, trying to conceal from my lady the fact that he smoked cigars. He did not fear his father and smoked boldly before him, but at the first sound of my lady's rustling silk he flew rather than ran. Lord Lanswell laughed aloud as he thought of it all.

”He is just as frightened at my lady now,” he said to himself. ”I cannot help feeling touched and flattered that he has sent for me in his trouble. I will help him and my lady shall never know.”

His heart warmed to his son and heir--no one knew how dearly he loved him, nor how completely his life was wrapped up in him. Then he heard a cab drive up to the door. Surely that must be Lance.

He listened in impatient suspense--he heard whispering in the outer hall, as though some consultation were being held.

”What in the world is the boy making a mystery over?” he asked himself.

Then he started from his chair in unutterable amazement.

Before him stood Lance, Lord Chandos, holding the hands of the most beautiful girl he had ever seen in his life.

CHAPTER X.

A SHOCKED FATHER.

”I am quite sure of one thing,” Lord Chandos had said, as they drew near London, ”and that is, Leone--if my father sees you before my mother has time to interfere, it will be all right. He can resist anything but a pretty face--that always conquers him.”

”I wish,” said Leone, with a sigh, ”that I were less proud. Do you know, Lance, that I cannot endure to hear you speak as though I were to be received as a great favor. I wonder why I am so proud? I am a farmer's niece, and you are the son of a powerful earl, yet I--please do not be offended; I cannot help it--I feel quite as good as you.”

He laughed aloud. There was nothing he enjoyed better than this proud frankness of hers, which would never yield to or wors.h.i.+p rank or t.i.tle.