CHAPTER III.
The season was drawing to a close when the announcement of Lady Violet Calcott's engagement to Percival Field took the world by storm.
It very greatly astonished Burleigh Wentworth, who after his acquittal had drifted down to Cowes for rest and refreshment before the advent of the crowd.

He had not seen Lady Violet before his departure, she having gone out of town for a few days immediately after the trial.

But he took the very next train back to London as soon as he had seen the announcement, to find her.
It was late in the evening when he arrived, but this fact did not daunt him.

He had always been accustomed to having his own way, and he had a rooted belief, which the result of his trial had not tended to lessen, in his own lucky star.

He had dined on the train and he merely waited to change before he went straight to Lord Culverleigh's house.
He found there was a dinner-party in progress.