D’Egmont was quite unembarrassed by this interchange of civilities. He knew the Belmanoir family too well to be made uncomfortable by their bickerings.

“Shall we leave him?” he asked Lavinia, smiling.

“Yes,” she pouted. “He is determined to be unpleasant.”

“My dear sister! On the contrary, I believe I can offer you some amusement. Lovelace is in town.”

“Captain Harold ?” she cried incredulously.

“The same.”

“Oh, Bob!” Impulsively she withdrew her hand from Julian’s arm, transferring it to the Colonel’s. “I must see him at once! To think he is returned after all these years! Quick, Julian, dear lad⁠—go and find him⁠—and tell him ’tis I, Lavinia, who want him! You know him, do you not? Yes⁠—I thought you did. Send him to me at once!⁠—at once!”