greater familiarity; but though his kindness was never met coldly or
repulsed, a further intimacy was in some gracious way avoided.

"My lady must beguile you to be less formal with us," said Dunstanwolde.
And later her ladyship spoke as her husband had privately desired: "My
lord would be made greatly happy if your Grace would honour our house
oftener," she said one night, when at the end of a great ball he was
bidding her adieu.

Osmonde's deep eye met hers gently and held it. "My Lord Dunstanwolde is
always gracious and warm of heart to his kinsman," he replied. "Do not
let him think me discourteous or ungrateful. In truth, your ladyship, I
am neither the one nor the other."

The eyes of each gazed into the other's steadfastly and gravely. The
Duke of Osmonde thought of Juno's as he looked at hers; they were of such
velvet, and held such fathomless deeps.

"Your Grace is not so free as lesser men," Clorinda said. "You cannot
come and go as you would."

"No," he answered gravely, "I cannot, as I would."

And this was all.

It having been known by all the world that, despite her beauty and her
conquests, Mistress Clorinda Wildairs had not smiled with great favour
upon Sir John Oxon in the country, it was not wondered at or made any
matter of gossip that the Countess of Dunstanwolde was but little
familiar with him and saw him but rarely at her house in town.