“You live in most charming country, madame. The woods here are superb.”

“They are finer about Avon Court,” said Anthony. “There are some splendid oaks there.”

“Ah, Avon! I am desolated to hear that the Duc is away. I hoped—but it is not to be.”

In the recesses of Merivale’s brain memory stirred. Surely there had been some scandal, many years ago?

“No, Avon, I believe, is in London. Lord Rupert is staying with us—he is at the Court now, dining with Madame Field, and Mademoiselle de Bonnard, the Duke’s ward.”

Saint-Vire’s hand, holding the wine-glass, shook a little.

“Mademoiselle de——?”

“Bonnard. You knew that Avon had adopted a daughter?”

“I heard some rumour,” the Comte said slowly. “So she is here?”

“For a time only. She is to be presented soon, I think.”

“Vraiment?” The Comte sipped his wine. “No doubt she is ennuyée here.”

“I think she is well enough,” Merivale answered. “There is much to amuse her at Avon. She and that scamp, Rupert, have taken to playing at hide-and-seek in the woods. They are naught but a pair of children!”

“Aha?” Saint-Vire slightly inclined his head. “And the Duc is, you say, in London?”

“I cannot say for sure. None ever knows where he will be next. Léonie expects him daily, I think.”

“I am sorry to have missed him,” said Saint-Vire mechanically.

After dinner he and Merivale played at piquet together and soon Rupert came striding in, and stopped dead upon the threshold at sight of the visitor.

“Thun—— Your very devoted, Comte,” he said stiffly, and stalked over to where Jennifer was seated. “What’s that fellow doing here?” he growled in her ear.

She laid a finger on her lips.

“The Comte was just saying that he is sorry to have missed seeing your—your brother, Rupert,” she said clearly.

Rupert stared at Saint-Vire.

“Eh? Oh, ay! My brother will be heartbroken, I assure you, sir. Did you come to pay him a visit?”

A muscle quivered beside the Comte’s heavy mouth.

“No, milor’. I am on my way to visit friends. I thought maybe to see M. le Duc on my way.”

“Pray let me be the bearer of any message you may wish to send him, sir,” said Rupert.

“Cela ne vaut pas la peine, m’sieur,” said the Comte politely.

No sooner had he taken his leave of them than Rupert scowled upon his host.

“Devil take you, Tony, why did you ask that fellow here? What’s he doing in England? ’Pon my soul, it’s too bad that I should have to meet him, and be civil!”

“I noticed no civility,” remarked Merivale. “Was there some quarrel between him and Alastair?”

“Quarrel! He’s our worst enemy, my dear! He insulted the name! I give you my word he did! What, don’t you know? He hates us like the devil! Tried to horse-whip Justin years ago.”

Enlightenment came to Merivale.

“Of course I remember! Why in the world did he pretend he wanted to meet Alastair?”

“I don’t like him,” Jennifer said, troubled. “His eyes make me shiver. I think he is not a good man.”

“What puzzles me,” said Rupert, “is why he should be the living spit of Léonie.”

Merivale started up.

“That is it, then! I could not think where I had seen her like! What does it all mean?”

“Oh, but she is not like him!” protested Jennifer. “’Tis but the red hair makes you say so. Léonie has a sweet little face!”

“Red hair and dark eyebrows,” said Rupert. “Damme, I believe there’s more in this than we think! It’s like Justin to play a deep game, stap me if it isn’t!”

Merivale laughed at him.

“What game, rattle-pate?”

“I don’t know, Tony. But if you’d lived with Justin for as many years as I have you wouldn’t laugh. Justin hasn’t forgot the quarrel, I’ll swear! He never forgets. There’s something afoot, I’ll be bound.”

CHAPTER XVII

Of a Capture, a Chase, and Contusion

“Oh, parbleu!” Léonie said in disgust. “This Rupert he is always late, the vaurien!”

“My dearest love,” Madam Field reproved her. “That expression! Indeed, it is not becoming in a young lady! I must beg of you——”

“To-day I am not a lady at all,” said Léonie flatly. “I want Monseigneur to come.”

“My dear, it is hardly proper in you to——”

“Ah, bah!” said Léonie, and walked away.

She went to her own apartment, and sat disconsolately down at the window.

“It is two weeks since Monseigneur wrote,” she reflected. “And then he said, I come soon now. Voyons, this is no way to keep that promise! And Rupert is late again.” A sparkle came into her eyes. She jumped up. “I will have a game with Rupert,” she said.

With this intention she pulled her boy’s raiment out of the cupboard, and struggled out of her skirts. Her hair had grown, but it was not yet long enough to be confined in the nape of her neck by a riband. It clustered about her head still in a myriad soft curls. She brushed it back from her forehead, dressed herself in shirt and breeches and coat, and, catching up her tricorne, swaggered downstairs. Luckily Madam Field was nowhere to be seen, so she escaped without let or hindrance into the garden. It was the first time she had ventured out of doors in her boy’s gear, and since it was an illicit pleasure her eyes twinkled naughtily. Rupert, with all his laxity, had in him a quaint streak of prudery, as she knew.

He would of a certainty be shocked to see her parading the grounds thus clad, and as this was precisely what she wanted she set out in the hope of meeting him, making for the woods that ran down towards the road.

Half-way across the big meadow that separated her from the woodland she espied Rupert coming from the stables, carrying his hat under his arm, and whistling jauntily. Léonie cupped her hands about her mouth.

“Ohé, Rupert!” she called gleefully.

Rupert saw her, stood still a moment, and then came striding towards her.

“Fiend seize it, what will you be at next?” he shouted. “’Pon my soul, it’s scandalous, stap me if it’s not! Home with you, you hoyden!”

“I shall not, Milor’ Rupert!” she cried tauntingly, and danced away. “You cannot make me!”

“Can I not, then?” called Rupert, and, dropping his hat, broke into a run.

Léonie straightway dived into the wood, and fled as for her life, for she knew very well that if he caught her Rupert would have no hesitation in picking her up and carrying her back to the house.

“Wait till I catch you!” threatened Rupert, crashing through the undergrowth. “Damme, I’ve torn my ruffle, and the lace cost me fifteen guineas! Plague take it, where are you?”

Léonie sent a mocking cry echoing through the wood, and ran on, listening to Rupert’s blundering progress behind her. She led him in and out of trees, through bushes, round in circles, and over the stream, always keeping just out of sight, until she found herself coming out into the road. She would have turned and doubled back, had she not chanced to see a light travelling coach standing near by. She was surprised, and tiptoed to peep at it over a low thorn-bush. In the distance she heard Rupert’s voice, half-exasperated, half-laughing. She threw back her head to call to him, and, as she did so, saw to her amazement the Comte de Saint-Vire, walking quickly up one of the paths that led through the wood. He was frowning, and his heavy mouth pouted. He looked up, and as his glance fell upon her the frown went from his face, and he came hurrying towards her.

“I give you good morrow, Léon the Page,” he said, and the words bit. “I had hardly hoped that I should find you thus soon. The luck is with me this round, I think.”

Léonie retreated a little. Avon’s warning was in her mind.

“Bonjour, m’sieur,” she said, and wondered what he was doing in the Duke’s grounds, or why he was in England at all. “Did you go to see Monseigneur?” she asked, with wrinkled brow. “He is not here.”

“I am desolated,” said Saint-Vire sarcastically, and came right up to her. She shrank, and, in a fit of inexplicable panic, called to Rupert.

“Rupert, Rupert, ŕ moi!”

Even as she cried Saint-Vire’s hand was over her mouth and his other arm about her waist. Struggling madly she was swept from the ground and borne at a run to where the coach stood waiting. Without compunction she bit deeply into the hand over her mouth. There was a muttered oath, the hand flinched a little, and she jerked her head away to shriek again.

“Rupert, Rupert, on m’enporte! Ŕ moi, ŕ moi, ŕ moi!”

His voice came to her, nearer at hand.

“Who—what——? What the devil——?”

She was flung then into the coach, sprang up like a small fury, but was thrust roughly back again. She heard Saint-Vire give an order to the coachman; then he jumped in beside her, and the coach lurched forward.

Rupert came plunging into the road, hot and dishevelled, just in time to see the coach disappear round the bend in the road, in the direction of the village.

He had suspected at first that Léonie was only teasing him, but her second cry had held a note of genuine alarm, while now there was no sign of her. With characteristic impetuosity he went headlong down the road in pursuit of the coach, never stopping to consider the wisdom of returning to the stables for his horse. Full-tilt he went, hatless, with torn ruffles, and wig askew. The coach was out of sight, but he ran on until he was blown. Then he dropped into a walk. When he had got his breath back he ran again, and had a grin for the comic figure he knew he must be cutting. He had no idea who had seized Léonie, or why, but he felt certain that she was in that coach. His fighting spirit was aroused, and, incidentally, his love of adventure: he determined to catch the coach if it cost him his life. So, alternately running and walking, he came at last to the straggling village, three miles distant, and, seeing the first cottage, broke once more into a weary jog-trot.