"It is not likely that he will ever know," he said. "The secret is yours and mine alone. You say that Lord Auchester is returning the day after to-morrow?"
"Yes."
"In that case, Lady Eleanor, my visits to White Place must cease. You will not need any help of mine in the future—I need not say that I should be as ready and willing to be of assistance to you as I have ever been—but it will be better that all communication between us should cease. You will not misunderstand me?"
"No, no! I understand," she said. "I am very grateful for all you have done. But for you I should not be as happy as I am."
"I am glad to have helped you to that happiness, however slightly," he said. "And I trust that you may be happier still in the future. Good-by, Lady Eleanor."
He held her hand for a moment or two, then left her. He had no desire to see her again. If he could have done so, he would have wiped from his memory the plot in which he had been concerned with her to drive Lord Auchester into her arms; indeed, as he drove through the silent night he felt heartily ashamed of it. He thought of Leslie and Lucy throughout the journey with a strange sense of confusion. He loved the gentle girl who had given him her heart, but he would remain Leslie's friend and champion. That the Duke of Rothbury had in some way behaved badly to her he felt assured, and but for his promise to Leslie he would have called him to account. As it was, he had bound himself to the simple return of the diamond pendant.
He carried it in his breast pocket for the two following days, and on the third went to Grosvenor Square.
"Yes, sir; his grace is at home, but I do not know whether he can see you. I will ask his gentleman."
Grey came into the hall, and shook his head as Ralph Duncombe preferred a request for an interview.
"His grace only returned yesterday, and is very tired, sir," he said. "I am afraid he cannot see you."