Esperance's eyes grew moist as she turned to Albert.
"You are so good, you always do the right thing. I am prouder every day to be loved by you."
During dinner Maurice gave them an account of all that had happened to him, with many new incidents.
"I am not telling you anything new," he added to Albert when they were alone. "You know as well as I do that the Duke is in love with Esperance. We all know it here."
Albert agreed with a rather sad smile that he did know it.
"Now that my cousin is your fiancée, he is too much of a gentleman to seek her, but he certainly wants to be near her, to talk to her, in short to flirt with her."
"My dear cousin," said Maurice, half jestingly, half serious. "I believe him capable of anything, but he knows that you are here ... and perhaps is afraid to take liberties."
"To put an end to his manoeuvrings we must somehow make him look ridiculous, and expose his folly. The fête, I think, will give us our chance."
Albert said, "I will follow your advice, Maurice."
"Very good. I will give you particulars of my plans. By the way, I have brought all your invitations. I will go and deliver them." So they went to seek the others, and Maurice gave each one a card with a personal invitation for the twentieth of September. Genevieve blushed.
"Of course; and I believe the amiable Duchess intends to ask you to recite the poem she has written. It is very touching. I will find it for you to-morrow. Ah! yes, you have made a great impression on that delightful lady. She talked about you to me all the time. You would have supposed she was doing it to please me."
Genevieve became purple. It was the first time Maurice had expressed himself so frankly. When they left the table she led Esperance aside and kissed her until she almost stifled her.
"Oh! how happy I am, and how I love him!"
Maurice and Jean passed by talking so busily that they did not see the girls.
"Absolutely. Since I have been away for four whole days I am convinced more than ever that I adore that girl and shall not be happy without her."
"Not yet. I must first of all talk to Genevieve."
"You are not afraid of what she will say? Of her answer?"
"I want first to tell her of my future plans, and to have a confidential chat with her about everything."