Mathilde was saying to herself:
“Of course I knew Pete’s charm would win Mama at last, but even I did not suppose he could do it the very first evening.”
And Pete was thinking:
“A former beauty thinks she can put anything over, and in a way she can. I feel rather friendly toward her.”
The Farrons had decided while they were dressing that after dinner they would retire to Vincent’s study and give the lovers a few minutes to themselves.
Left alone, Pete and Mathilde stood looking seriously at each other, and then at the room which only a few weeks before had witnessed their first prolonged talk.
“I never saw your mother look a quarter as beautiful as she does this evening,” said Wayne.
“Isn’t she marvelous, the way she can make up for everything when she wants?” Mathilde answered with enthusiasm.
Pete shook his head.
“She can never make up for one thing.”