"It is late, why are you here, Susannah?"
"And you—you return unexpectedly, Rose."
He stood hat in hand, the moonlight on his shoulders and shining on the heavy hilt of his sword.
"Marius is here?"
"He came to-night—we thought you would follow to-morrow;" she spoke hurriedly half under her breath to get the better of the unsteadiness of her voice.
Rose Lyndwood glanced at the lights of the house sparkling through the trees.
"My lady is with Marius?"
"Yes."
"Then we will not disturb them yet, my dear—the meeting can well wait."
His cousin let go of her red silk skirt, and it rustled about her on the steps.