He could understand the childish friendship having grown with their growth; and he was too noble to expect anything less than perfect sincerity and truth.
The duchess kept her word.

She made no further allusion to the Puritan maiden--that little episode had, so it appeared, completely escaped her memory.

There was one thing to be noticed--she often read the "Lady of Lyons," and appeared to delight in it.

When she had looked through a few pages, she would close the book with a sigh and a strange, brooding smile.

At times, too, she would tease Lord Arleigh about his ideal woman but that was always in her husband's presence.
"You have not found the ideal woman yet, Norman ?" she would ask him, laughingly; and he would answer.