"Count Gustav——and others."
"For God's sake," he cried, more disconcerted than I had ever seen him; and his white shapely fingers twisted the flowers nervously during the pause that followed. "You have frightened me," he murmured at length.
"The deeds are not of my doing," I said slowly.
"Where is your house?"
"Why do you wish to know?"
"That I may follow you there presently," he answered.
"You have twisted those blooms and wrecked them. Is candour wrecked with the petals, General?"
He looked up and I saw by his glance that he knew I had read his intention.
"You did not mean to come alone," I added.
"It is a case for the Duke himself. You must not take this responsibility alone, Christabel; you must not. The issue of everything is in the balance."