It was said that her slaves adored her, and that no man who came within her influence had been able to resist her power—­no man, perhaps, but Captain Jacobus; and he had not resisted, he had been content to exercise over her a power greater than her own.  He had made her his wife; he had lavished on her for ten years the spoils of the four quarters of the world; and his worship of her had only been equalled by her passionate attachment to him.  Ten years of love, and then parting and silence—­unbroken silence.  Yet she still insisted that he was alive, and would certainly come back to her.  With this faith in her heart, she had refused to put on any symbol of loss or mourning.  She kept his fine house open, his room ready, and herself constantly adorned for his home-coming.  Society, which insists on uniformity, did not approve of this unreasonable hope.  It expected her to adopt the garments of widowhood for a time, and then make a match in accordance with the great fortune Captain Jacobus had left her.  But Angelica Jacobus was a law unto herself; and society was compelled to take her with those apologizing shrugs it gives to whatever is original and individual.

She came in with a smile of welcome.  She was always pleased that her fine home should be seen by those strange to it; and perhaps was particularly pleased that General Hyde’s son should be her visitor.  And as Joris was determined to win her favour, there was an almost instantaneous birth of good-will.

“Let me kiss your hand, madame,” said the handsome young fellow, lifting the jewelled fingers in his own.  “I have heard that my father had once that honour.  Do not put me below him;” and with the words he touched with his warm lips the long white fingers.

Her laugh rang merrily through the dim room, and she answered—­“You are Dick Hyde’s own son—­nothing else.  I see that”—­and she drew the young man towards the light and looked with a steady pleasure into his smiling face as she asked—­

“What brought you here this morning, sir?”

“Madame, I have heard my father speak of you; I have seen you; can you wonder that I desired to know you?  This morning I met Miss Van Ariens, and when she said she was coming here, I found myself unable to resist the temptation of coming with her.”

“Let me tell you something, aunt.  I think Lieutenant Hyde can be of great service to us.  He took part in several noble English weddings last year, and he offers his advice in our consultation to-day.”

“But where is Cornelia?  I thought she would come with you.”

“She will be here in a few minutes.  I saw her half-an-hour ago.”

“What a beautiful girl she has become!” said madame.

“She is an angel,” said Hyde.

Angelica laughed.  “The man who calls a woman an angel has never had any sisters,” she answered; “but, however, she has beauty enough to set young hearts ablaze.  I like the girl, and I wonder not that others do the same.”