The Duke thought he could not have understood him. He had always thought that James a rather stupid young man and now he asked,

“What are you talking about? Her Grace is upstairs.”

James shook his head.

“No, Your Grace, she went out about ten minutes ago.”

The Duke stared at him incredulously.

“Did you say,” he asked speaking slowly and clearly, “that Her Grace left the house?”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“Alone?”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“I cannot believe it!” the Duke exclaimed beneath his breath.

As he walked towards the door, he asked,

“Did Her Grace say where she was going?”

“No, Your Grace.”

The Duke considered this until James said nervously as if he was afraid that he personally had done something wrong,

“Her Grace put on the cape that were lying on the chair and told me to open the door for her. I did ask Her Grace if she required a carriage.”

“And she refused?”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

The Duke could not understand it. Where could Honora possibly be going at this time of the night and why?

Still speaking slowly so that James could not fail to understand what he wanted he asked,

“When Her Grace left the house, did you see which way she went?”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“Tell me exactly what happened.”

“I thinks it strange that Her Grace should be going out at this time of night and I watches as she walks out onto the pavement, stands for a moment, then crosses the road almost as if Her Grace were trying to get into Hyde Park.”

The footman glanced at the Duke, saw that he was listening intently and went on,

“I sees Her Grace stand for a moment looking through the railings. Then she walks down the other side of the road and I thinks to meself she were looking for a gate.”

“The Park is closed at this hour of the night,” the Duke said sharply.

“Yes, I knows that, Your Grace, but I somehow thinks ’though I may be wrong, that Her Grace doesn’t.”

The Duke thought that was very likely. At the same time why on earth should Honora want to go into Hyde Park after dark, when it was crazy of her to be walking about alone?

“I am sure she has not gone far,” he said almost as if he spoke to himself.

Then he walked out of the house and as Honora had done onto the pavement.

He stood there looking down the road, which now seemed to be deserted except for a carriage stopping at a house lower down, which the Duke knew belonged to some friends.

It struck him that if they saw Honora walking about alone at this time of the night they would think it extremely strange and would also question why he was standing on the pavement alone on his wedding night.

Instinctively he stepped back so that he was in the shadows cast by his own house and only when the carriage had driven away did he once again go out into the street looking for Honora.