from them, rode home. He felt that he must at any rate put an end to
this annoyance about the countess, and that he must put an end also
to his state of doubt about the countess's daughter. Clara had been
kind and gracious to him in the first part of the evening; nay,
almost more than gracious. Why had she been so cold when he went up
to her on that last occasion? why had she gathered herself like a
snail into its shell for the rest of the evening?

The young earl had also been at the party, and had exacted a promise
from Owen that he would be over at Desmond Court on the next day. It
had almost been on Owen's lips to tell his friend, not only that he
would be there, but what would be his intention when he got there.
He knew that the lad loved him well; and almost fancied that, earl
as he was, he would favour his friend's suit. But a feeling that
Lord Desmond was only a boy, restrained him. It would not be well to
induce one so young to agree to an arrangement of which in after and
more mature years he would so probably disapprove.

But not the less did Fitzgerald, as he drove home, determine that on
the next day he would know something of his fate: and with this
resolve he endeavoured to comfort himself as he drove up into his
own avenue, and betook himself to his own solitary home.






CHAPTER III