She drew on her own cloak and fastened the clasp with shaking fingers. Then she turned towards the door.
"I wish you good-bye and good fortune, Reginald," she said. "I daresay we may not meet again. It will be better that we do not."
She looked around at him. Was it his fancy, or were those tears in her eyes? Or was she really so wonderful an actress?
"Do you think," she said, "that if I had not cared I should have come here?"
"Tell me that in plain words," he cried. "It is all I ask."
The door was suddenly opened. Grahame stood upon the threshold. He looked beyond Lucille to Brott.
"You must really forgive me," he said, "but there is barely time to catch the train, Brott. I have a hansom waiting, and your luggage is on."
Brott answered nothing. Lucille held out her hands to him.
"Yes or no?" he asked her in a low hoarse tone.
"You must--give me time! I don't want to lose you. I--"
"Coming, Grahame," he said firmly. "Countess, I must beg your pardon ten thousand times for this abrupt departure. My servants will call your carriage."
She leaned towards him, beautiful, anxious, alluring.
"Not one moment," he answered. "Yes--now, this instant--or I go!"
"Brott! My dear man, we have not a second to lose."
"Give me until to-morrow," she begged. "It is for your own sake. For your own safety."
He turned on his heel! His muttered speech was profane, but inarticulate. He sprang into the hansom by Grahame's side.
"Euston!" the latter cried through the trap-door. "Double fare, cabby. We must catch the Scotchman."
Lucille came out a few moments later, and looked up and down the street as her brougham drove smartly up. The hansom was fast disappearing in the distance. She looked after it and sighed.
Lucille gave a little start of amazement as she realised that she was not alone in the brougham. She reached out for the check-cord, but a strong hand held hers.
"My dear Lucille," a familiar voice exclaimed, "why this alarm? Is it your nerves or your eyesight which is failing you?"
Her hand dropped. She turned towards him.
"It is you, then, Prince!" she said. "But why are you here? I do not understand."
"It is so simple," he said. "We are all very anxious indeed to hear the result of your interview with Brott--and apart from that, I personally have too few opportunities to act as your escort to let a chance go by. I trust that my presence is not displeasing to you?"