Beyond the Rocks

"That is it," said Theodora.

"Then you must dance with Hector--my brother," she said.

She launched his name suddenly; she wanted to see what effect it would

have on Theodora. "He is sure to be there, and he dances divinely."

She was rewarded for her thrust: just the faintest pink came into the

white velvet cheeks, and the blue eyes melted softly. To dance with

Hector! Ah! Then the radiance was replaced by a look of sadness, and she

said, quietly: "Oh, I do not think I shall dance at all. My husband is rather an

invalid, and we shall only go in for a little while."

No, she must not dance with Hector. Those joys were not for her--she

must not even think of it.

"How extraordinarily beautiful she is!" Anne thought, when presently,

the visit ended, she found herself rolling along in her electric

brougham towards the park. "And I feel I shall love her. I wonder what

her Christian name is?"

Theodora had promised they would lunch in Charles Street with her the

next day if her husband should be well enough after the ball. And Anne

decided to collect as many nice people to meet them as she could in the

time.

At the corner of Grosvenor Square she met an old friend, one Colonel

Lowerby, commonly called the Crow, and stopped to pick him up and take

him on with her.

He was the one person she wanted to talk to at this juncture. She had

known him all her life, and was accustomed to prattle to him on all

subjects. He was always safe, and gruff, and honest.

"I have just done something so interesting, Crow," she told him, as they

went along towards Regent's Park, to which sylvan spot she had directed

her chauffeur, to be more free to talk in peace to her companion. Some

of her friends were capable of making scandals, even about the dear old

Crow, she knew.

"And what have you done?" he asked.

"Of course you have heard the tale from Uncle Evermond, of Hector and

the lady at Monte Carlo?"

He nodded.

"Well, there is not a word of truth in it; he is in love, though, with

the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life--and I have just

been to call upon her. And to-morrow you have got to come to lunch to

meet her--and tell me what you think."

"Very well," said the Crow. "I was feeding elsewhere, but I always obey

you. Continue your narrative."