'How can she tell that?' asked Freda, with feigned surprise. 'There are so many clever men in Wales. I assure you we are a talented race.'
'I am thure of that, Freda; but I think the Englith are more thinthere; mamma thaith tho.'
'Ah, she must be a good judge,' said Freda, somewhat ironically.
'Yeth; mamma ath theen a great deal of the world,' replied the unsuspecting Miss Nugent.
Here Colonel Vaughan made his appearance, and that young lady gave him her mamma's invitation, which he said he should be delighted to accept, if his friends did; so Freda said her papa was out, but she would send Lady Mary Nugent an answer when he came in.
'Ah! this is a sketch, Freda,' said Colonel Vaughan, who had somehow returned to the old familiarity of earlier days. 'How can I thank you sufficiently? who could think that the child I left twelve years ago would be such a good artist when I returned? But that was the cleverest bit of life-like drawing I ever saw, that sketch of your old pony. By the way, do you know who this is?'
The colonel opened a sketch-book that he had in his hand, and put it into Freda's.
'Why, this is Gladys, Mrs Prothero's Gladys. How could you prevail on her to stand for her picture? Look, Serena, how well Colonel Vaughan has hit off her expression and general effect in those few touches!'
'I went to see Prothero, who used to be a good friend of mine in old times, and whilst I was waiting for him and looking out of the window, I saw this Gladys in the garden, and made the attempt you are pleased to praise. Certainly she is about the loveliest specimen of country beauty I ever saw in my life.'
'Do you admire her, Colonel Vaughan? I think the ith tho very pale and thupid.'