Beyond the Rocks

And with this pleasing thought she had turned the conversation.

"I think we must go back now," said Theodora, after she had finished the

last monster strawberry on her plate. "Josiah may be waiting for me."

Oh, she had been so happy! There was that sense vibrating through

everything that he loved her, and they were together--but now it must

end.

So they made their way up the stairs and back to the ballroom.

Mrs. Devlyn had abandoned Josiah, and he stood once more alone and

supremely uncomfortable. A pang of remorse seized Theodora; she wished

she had not stayed so long; she would not leave him again for a moment.

He had supped, it appeared, been hurried over it because Mrs. Devlyn

wished to return, and was now feeling cross and tired. He was quite

ready to leave when Theodora suggested it, and they said good-night to

Hector and descended to find their carriage. But in that crowd it was

not such an easy matter.

There was a long wait in the hall, where they were joined by the

assiduous Marquis and Delaval Stirling. And Hector, from a place on the

stairs, had all his feelings of jealous rage aroused again in watching

them while he was detained where he was by his hostess.

Meanwhile, Sir Patrick Fitzgerald had gone about telling every one of

the beauty of his new-found niece, and had brought his wife to be

introduced to her just after Theodora had left.

Since his scapegrace brother was going to make such an advantageous

marriage, and this niece had proved a lovely woman, and rich withal, he

quite admitted the ties of blood were thicker than water.

Lady Ada was not of like opinion; she had enough relations of her own,

and resented his having asked the Browns to Beechleigh for Whitsuntide.

"My party was all made up but for one extra man," she said, "whom I

think I have found; and we did not need these people."