succeeded by their brethren. After he had dressed, he sat down and smoked a cigarette as he regarded the smiling sea. This situation was so agreeable that he prolonged it for[Pg 98] full half-an-hour; then a sudden longing for Coltson's coffee came over him. He jumped up briskly and made for the Grange gate. [Pg 98] He had left it open—it was shut now. None had been nigh when he passed through. Now a young woman in a white frock leant her elbows comfortably on its top rail and rested her pretty chin upon her hands. Lady Norah's blue eyes looked at him serenely from beneath black lashes of noticeable length—at any rate Lynborough noticed their length. Lynborough walked up to the gate. With one hand he removed his hat, with the other he laid a tentative hand on the latch. Norah did not move or even smile. "I beg your pardon, madam," said Lynborough, "but if it does not incommode you, would you have the great kindness to permit me to open the gate?"[Pg 99] [Pg 99] "Oh, I'm sorry; but this is a private path leading to Nab Grange. I suppose you're a stranger in these parts?" "My name is Lynborough. I live at Scarsmoor there." "Are you Lord Lynborough?" Norah sounded exceedingly interested. "The Lord Lynborough?" "There's only one, so far as I'm aware," the owner of the title answered. "I mean the one who has done all those—those—well, those funny things?" "I rejoice if the recital of them has caused you any amusement. And now, if you will permit me——" "Oh, but I can't! Helena would never forgive me. I'm a friend of hers, you know—of the Marchesa di San Servolo. Really you can't come through here." "Do you think you can stop me?"[Pg 100] [Pg 100] "There isn't room for you to get over as long as I stand here—and the wall's too high to climb, isn't it?" Lynborough studied the wall; it was twice the height of the wall on the other side; it might be possible to scale, but difficult and laborious; nor would he look imposing while struggling at the feat.
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