“Then of course he will consent. I will go at once, and send him a line.” She turned to leave the summer-house. Lord Grayleigh followed her. He laid his hand for an instant on her slim arm.
“If I were you,” he said, and there was an unwonted tremble in his voice as he spoke, “if I were you, upon my honor, I’d leave him alone.”
“Leave him alone now? Why should not the wife influence the husband for his own good?”
“Very well,” said Lord Grayleigh; “I only ventured to make a suggestion.”
She looked at him in a puzzled way, raised her brows, and said:
“I never found you so disagreeable before.” She then left the summer-house.
Lord Grayleigh stood still for a moment, then, with quick strides, he went in the direction of the shrubbery. Sibyl, hot, excited, breathless after her game, did not even see him. He called her and she stopped.
“May I speak to you?” he said. He had the courteous manner to her which he did not vouch-safe to many of his gay lady acquaintances.
She ran to his side at once.
“Don’t you want to send your father a letter by this post?”