I turned sharply at the sound. And at sight of the radiant vision before me, I caught my breath with a great gasp of wonder, and the glass fell unheeded to the floor and was shattered into a dozen pieces at my feet; for my lady herself was descending the stairs! My lady in a gown of brocaded satin, with a bunch of red and yellow roses in her hand. The low cut corsage that she wore displayed to full advantage the magnificent proportions of her bust, upon which diamonds flashed and sparkled in the light. Upon her gleaming hair was a large hat of pale blue velvet of the same colour as her gown and ornamented at the front with a massive silver clasp. Beneath this her eyes shone with a radiance that rivalled the jewels at her breast, and if ’twas not to Nature only that she owed the increased loveliness of her face, why then she was so exquisitely painted, that to the eyes of a plain soldier like myself its presence was undetectable. For the rest, one jewelled hand slightly raised the skirt of her trailing gown, affording a glimpse of the rich satin petticoat beneath and of a pair of high-heeled shoes with diamond studded buckles. And this portrait of my lady I carry ever in my mind through all the years; for of a truth never had she appeared so beautiful as on that night, when all the resources of art had been requisitioned to increase her alluring beauty and excitement had lent an added brilliancy to her eyes.
“Have I your permission to enter, sir?” she said softly, pausing upon the lowest step and gazing at me without apparently noticing my confusion. Only then did her words break the spell that held me tongue-tied. With a great effort I strove to recover my composure, though my heart thumped painfully in my breast and I felt the hot blood mantling to my face.
“Madam,” I stammered at length, “such permission in your own house is surely unnecessary. Especially,” I added somewhat bitterly, “as I will not intrude my unwelcome presence upon you.” And with a bow I flung my cloak over my arm.
“In that case, sir,” she answered quickly, “I fear that the very object of my visit will be defeated.”
“Your ladyship means——?” I replied, pausing in surprise.
“That it is to beg the favour of a few moments’ speech with you that I am here.”
“With me, madam?”
“With you!” she answered, smiling at my too evident astonishment, though not without some trace of embarrassment in her manner.
I was silent out of sheer curiosity, for her looks, her changed manner towards me, puzzled me.
“Captain Cassilis,” she said abruptly, “will you accept these few roses at my hands—in return for those which I so ungraciously flung away?”