Chapter 16: Fire Lilies

Through the uproar, between the crowding people, Stanief at last gained his own hall and partly quelled the confusion by his mere presence.

“Tell madame that I have returned and will visit her as soon as this smoke is removed,” was his first direction on setting foot upon the steps.

But when he reached the head of the great staircase a white figure flashed down the hall to meet him.

“Monseigneur, monseigneur,” moaned the silver voice. Before all the household, and Adrian’s guards, Iría clutched Stanief’s stained and blackened coat with small, eager hands and fainted on his breast.

“Stand back!” the master commanded as a score of dismayed attendants rushed forward and the Countess Marya sprang toward her mistress. And lifting her easily in his arms, he carried her back to the cream-tinted boudoir left so shortly before and so nearly left for ever.

On the way the gold-and-topaz eyes opened, but she did not protest or move until Stanief set her down.

“John is safe,” he said, with a tenderness that had long passed beyond jealousy. “Did they not tell you, dear?”