One afternoon Livingstone was quite by himself. The colonel had gone
into Warwickshire for a few days' hunting; Lady Catharine had paid her
usual visit and had gone back to her hotel, and I was out for an hour or
two. We did not mind leaving him a good deal alone; indeed, he preferred
it very often, and said so.
His servant came in, looking rather puzzled, to say that a lady wished
to see him. She would not give her name, but said that she would not
detain him many minutes.
Guy had not time to refuse admittance to the visitor, she followed so
close upon her message. Though she was closely-wrapped in her mantle,
and her veil fell in triple folds, there was no mistaking the turn of
the haughty head, the smooth, elastic step, and the lithe undulations of
a figure matchless between the four seas. No wonder that he drew his
breath hard as he recognized Flora Bellasys.
CHAPTER XXX.
Treu und fest.
As the door closed, Flora advanced quickly. "Confess you are surprised
to see me," she said, holding out her little gloved hand. The courtesy
toward the sex, which was hereditary with the Livingstones, contrasting
strangely with their fierce, ungovernable tempers, made him not reject
it; but his lay passive and nerveless in her slender fingers, never
answering their eager pressure; it had no longer the elastic quiver of
repressed strength that she remembered and liked so well.
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