"What have you to do with it? I beg, Evelyn--I insist--that you leave Miss Le Breton's love affairs alone."
"You forget, Freddie, that she is my friend."
The little creature fronted him, all wilfulness and breathing hard, her small hands clasped on her breast.
With an angry exclamation the Duke departed.
At half-past eight a hansom dashed up to Crowborough House. Montresor emerged.
He found the two ladies and Jacob Delafield just beginning dinner, and stayed with them an hour; but it was not an hour of pleasure. The great man was tired with work and debate, depressed also by the quarrel with his old friend. Julie did not dare to put questions, and guiltily shrank into herself. She divined that a great price was being paid on her behalf, and must needs bitterly ask whether anything that she could offer or plead was worth it--bitterly suspect, also, that the query had passed through other minds than her own.
After dinner, as Montresor rose with the Duchess to take his leave, Julie got a word with him in the corridor.
"You will give me ten minutes' talk?" she said, lifting her pale face to him. "You mustn't, mustn't quarrel with Lady Henry because of me."
He drew himself up, perhaps with a touch of haughtiness.