"No," said her Grace.
And then my lord Duke drew near behind her, and spoke over her shoulder.
"Did he bid you any farewell?" he said.
She had not known he was so close, and gave a great start and dropped her rose upon the terrace. Before she answered, she stooped herself and picked it up.
"No," she said, very low. "No; none."
"Then," his Grace said, "I will tell you what I think."
"You!" said my Lady Betty. "Has your Grace thought?"
"Often," he answered. "Who has not, at some time? I—knew more of the man than many. More than once his life touched mine."
"Yours!" they cried.
He waved his hand with the gesture of a man who would sweep away some memory.