Part 49 (1/2)

They both saw him at the same moment. Leone, with a sudden paling of her beautiful face, with a keen sense of sharp pain, and Lady Chandos with a bright, happy flush.

”Here is my husband,” she said, proudly; little dreaming that the beautiful singer had called him husband, too.

He came toward them slowly; it seemed to him so wonderful that these two should be sitting side by side--the woman he loved with a pa.s.sionate love, and the woman he married under his mother's influence.

There were so many people present that it was some time before he could get up to them, and by that time he had recovered himself.

”Lance,” cried Lady Chandos, in a low voice, ”see how fortunate I am; I have been introduced to Madame Vanira.”

Yes, his heart smote him again; it seemed so cruel to deceive her when she was so kind, so gentle; she trusted in him so implicitly that it seemed cruel to deceive her. She turned with a radiant face to Leone.

”Let me introduce my husband, Lord Chandos, to you, Madame Vanira,” she said, and they looked at each other for one moment as though they were paralyzed.

Then the simple, innate truth of Leone's disposition came uppermost.

With the most dignified manner she returned the bow that Lord Chandos made.

”I have had the pleasure of meeting Lord Chandos before,” she said.

And Lady Marion looked at her husband in reproachful wonder.

”And you never told me,” she said. ”Knowing my great admiration for Madame Vanira, you did not tell me.”

”Where was it, madame?” he asked, looking at her with an air of helpless, hopeless entreaty.

Then she bethought herself that perhaps those few words might cause unpleasantness between husband and wife, and she tried to make little of them.

”I was at the French Emba.s.sy here in London, Lord Chandos, at the same time you were,” she said.

And Lady Marion was quite satisfied with the explanation, which was perfectly true.

Then they talked for a few minutes, at the end of which Lady Chandos was claimed by her hostess for a series of introductions.

Lord Chandos and Leone were left alone.

She spoke to him quickly and in an undertone of voice.

”Lord Chandos,” she said, ”I wish to speak to you; take me into the conservatory where we shall not be interrupted.”

He obeyed in silence; they walked through the brilliant throng of guests, through the crowded, brilliant room, until they reached the quiet conservatory at the end.

The lamps were lighted and shone like huge pearls among the blossoms.

There were few people and those few desired no attention from the new-comers. He led her to a pretty chair, placed among the hyacinths; the fragrance was very strong.

”I am afraid you will find this odor too much, beautiful as it is,” he said.

”I do not notice,” she said; ”my heart and soul are full of one thing.

Oh, Lord Chandos, your wife likes me, likes me,” she repeated, eagerly.

”I am not surprised at it; indeed, I should have been surprised if she had not liked you,” he said.