possession of the studs, the rest would be easy. There would be
an end--and such an end!--to the King's obstinate, indolent faith
in his wife's indifference to that boastful, flamboyant English
upstart. Richelieu held his peace for the time being, and wrote
to the Countess.

Some little time thereafter there was a sumptuous ball given at
York House, graced by the presence of King Charles and his young
French Queen. Lady Carlisle was present, and in the course of the
evening Buckingham danced with her. She was a very beautiful,
accomplished and ready-witted woman, and to-night his Grace found
her charms so alluring that he was almost disposed to blame
himself for having perhaps treated her too lightly. Yet she
seemed at pains to show him that it was his to take up again the
affair at the point at which it had been dropped. She was gay,
arch, provoking and irresistible. So irresistible that presently,
yielding to the lure of her, the Duke slipped away from his
guests with the lady on his arm, and they found themselves at the
foot of the garden in the shadow of the water-gate that Inigo
Jones had just completed for him. My lady languished at his side,
permitted him to encircle her with a protecting arm, and for a
moment lay heavily against him. He caught her violently to him,
and now her ladyship, hitherto so yielding, with true feminine
contrariness set herself to resist him. A scuffle ensued between
them. She broke from him at last, and sped swift as a doe across
the lawn towards the lights of the great house, his Grace in
pursuit between vexation and amusement.

But he did not overtake her, and it was with a sense of having
been fooled that he rejoined his guests. His questing eyes could