“I will take you to the stairs then,” said Jack promptly, and led her forward.

She stopped as they were about to pass his Grace, and faced him.

Tracy bowed very low.

“Good night, madam. Carstares will know which room I had assigned to you. You will find a servant there.”

“Thank you,” she said steadily. “I shall try to forget the happenings of this day, your Grace. I see the truth in what you say⁠—we cannot afford to let the world see that we are at enmity, lest it should talk. And, I confess it freely, I find it less hard to forgive you the insults of⁠—of today, since they brought⁠—Jack⁠—to me. An I had not been in such dire straits, I might never have seen him again.”

“In fact,” bowed his Grace, “everything has been for the best!”

“I would not say that, sir,” she replied, and went out.