“Oh, Captain Lovelace! Have you come to fetch me back to my seat? I have scarce set eyes on you this evening. No, Markham, you may not come! No, nor you, my lord! Madam⁠—” She curtsied low to the old Duchess and walked away on Harold’s arm.

When they were once in the deserted passage behind the boxes, he turned eagerly towards her.

“Well, my dearest? Well?”

Lady Lavinia’s mouth drooped miserably.

“Yes,” she said, “I shall have to come with you.”

The tone was damping, to say the least of it, but he did not seem to notice it.

“Lavinia! You mean it?”

“Yes,” she assented, still more dejectedly.