Is that so?"
"I told you," he answered wearily. "I shall never marry Constance. She
is engaged to another."
"Thank Heaven!" was her, ladyship's mental ejaculation, but she said
nothing aloud.
Leroy roused himself. "I must go," he said.
"So soon?" she asked tremulously. "Where are you going?"
"To the theatre."
She frowned, and, seeing it, he stopped to explain.
"It is no longer mine," he said with a faint smile.
"Not yours!" she cried in surprise.
"No, it belongs to Miss Lester."
Her quick intellect grasped his meaning at once.
"Henceforth, you mean to retire from the gay world, then?" she said,
with a faint sneer, adding quickly, as his face darkened, "Ah, forgive
me, if am bitter! I hate to see you unhappy. Try and forgive my
ill-humour."
"You are, as ever, my queen," he said, "and can, therefore, do no
wrong."
Lifting her hand to his lips, he turned and strode hastily from the
room.
CHAPTER XVII
Adrien Leroy dined alone that night--a most unusual occurrence; but the
scene with Lady Merivale moved him, and still troubled his mind. He had
hitherto only regarded his love-making with her as part in the comedy of
life, wherein he played the lover, to her lead; doffing and donning the
character at will.
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