"My dear," she said, "round whom or what does your life centre?"
Jean gazed at her uncomprehendingly.
Mrs. Ferguson smiled.
"I am not going to preach you a sermon," she said. "Now what do you think of these?"
The library was hung with numbers of valuable paintings, many of them genuine works of the old masters. Jean's eyes brightened. She forgot herself, and for the next ten minutes, became quite absorbed in them. Mrs. Fergusson's comments, and the information she gave Jean, proved her to be a true lover as well as a patron of art.
When they returned to the drawing-room, tea was being handed round, and shortly afterwards, Meta and Jean took their departure.
"Well?" asked Meta. "How did you get on with the old lady?"
Jean resented her tone.
"I don't think you went to see her this afternoon," she retorted.
Meta gave a low laugh.