He was so shy in
little things, that to hear his name sounded from servant to servant,
echoing from landing-place to landing-place, was almost overwhelming.
Nothing but his pride, which was just equal to his reserve, prevented
him from often turning back on the stairs and precipitately retreating.
And yet he had not been ten minutes in Deloraine House, before he had
absolutely requested to be introduced to a lady. It was the first time
he had ever made such a request.
He returned home, softly musing. A tone lingered in his ear; he recalled
the countenance of one absent. In his dressing-room he lingered
before he retired, with his arm on the mantel-piece, and gazing with
abstraction on the fire.
When his servant called him, late in the morning, he delivered to him a
card from Mrs. Guy Flouncey, inviting him on that day to Craven Cottage,
at three o'clock: 'dejeuner at four o'clock precisely.' Tancred took the
card, looked at it, and the letters seemed to cluster together and form
the countenance of Lady Constance. 'It will be a good thing to go,' he
said, 'because I want to know Lord Fitz-Heron; he will be of great use
to me about my yacht.' So he ordered his carriage at three o'clock.
The reader must not for a moment suppose that Mrs.
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