"My dear!" she took the new Countess prettily by the hands. "You are as sweet as Rose described you, and I cannot say more." She kissed her. "Forgive my lord's mother the impertinence of welcoming you to your own house."
Lavinia disengaged herself.
"I thank you, madam," she said.
"Where is Marius?" asked my lord.
"He went, as I said, to meet you," replied Susannah. "He must be back any moment."
Now Lady Lyndwood looked at her husband, only for a second; her baited glance turned with an expression of relief to Miss Chressham.
"Please, I am very tired—sick with the jolting of the coach; might I go to my room?"
Before Susannah had time to answer the elder Countess had swept her up the shining oak stairs, in a cloud of graceful speeches.
Rose did not look after them. He turned into the library and his cousin followed him. She still held the two red roses, and as he seated himself at the table she drew their stems through the lace at her breast.
The Earl rested his cheek on his hand and his elbow on the table. He had not removed his dark-green travelling coat. It set off the grace and fineness of his figure as the high black stock relieved the weary pallor of his face. At the corner of his lip was the familiar bat-shaped patch, and under the paste buckle in his hair the turquoise ribbon he affected.