He was filled with an insane longing to seize her in his arms, and cover
her face with kisses; but he restrained himself, though he bent nearer
to her as he said in a low voice: "Yes, I am going back to try and put my affairs in better order. My
father has been pulling me up--quite rightly, of course. I ought to have
seen to these things before. I am afraid I have not been a good son to
him."
"You do not see him very often, do you?" said Lady Constance, who knew
to a day how often Adrien had visited the Castle during the last twelve
months, during which she herself had sighed for his absence.
"No," he admitted. "I always seem to have so many engagements; but now I
am going to try a new mode of life--thanks to your words."
"My words?" echoed Lady Constance, in genuine surprise. "I thought you
said uncle had been speaking to you."
"Yes," he agreed. "But it was what you said to me during our ride that
decided me really--about the tenants, and all that."
"You must not listen to all my complaints," she said, smilingly. "I am
proud of the Barminster estates, naturally; and I cannot bear that they
should be inferior to those of our neighbour----"
"Who is that?" he inquired quickly.
"Why, Lord Standon, of course," was the calm reply.
He started at the sound of the name of one he deemed his rival. The
jealous blood rushed to his face and his heart beat fast.
"Naturally," he said, in tones as quiet as he could make them, "you
would compare all estates with his--now!"
With womanly intuition she saw his meaning, but did not choose to dispel
his suspicions just then. Not that she was a coquette or flirt, for she
loved this man with all the strength of her being; but, on the other
hand, she knew, or thought she knew, his disposition only too well, and
she feared to yield to her natural inclinations, which were to allow him
to see that he had only to speak, and she was ready and willing to
listen. Instead, therefore, she merely said lightly: "Yes, he makes a good landlord, for all he declares to the contrary.
Then, too, he has a capable agent."
"Like Jasper," put in her companion, trying to keep his eyes away from
her pretty, vivacious face.
Lady Constance was silent. However much she might dislike and distrust
Vermont, she never expressed her opinion of him to Adrien. She therefore
turned the subject quickly by inquiring after the next race.