I want to see you and Verdun Royal, not a crowd of strange faces.

Lady Peters is _chaperon_, if you have any lingering doubt about the 'proprieties.'" So it was agreed that he should come alone, and later on, if the duchess cared to invite more friends, she could do so.
The fact was that Lord Arleigh wanted time for his wooing.

He had found that he could not live without Madaline.

He had thought most carefully about everything, and had decided on asking her to be his wife.

True, there was the drawback of her parentage--but that was not grievous, not so terrible.