"I suppose you've heard the news, Clau?"
What with one thing—packing and unpacking, traveling, perhaps less obvious troubles—Lady Claudia was in a state which, if it manifested itself in a less attractive person, might be called snappish.
"I never hear any news," she answered shortly.
"Well, here's some for you," replied the Earl, grinning. "Kate has chucked Eugene over."
"Nonsense!" But she started and colored, all the same.
"I suppose you were at Baden and saw it all, and I wasn't!" said Rickmansworth, with ponderous satire. "So we won't say any more about it."
"Well, what do you mean?"
"No; never mind! It doesn't matter—all a mistake. I'm always making some beastly blunder—eh, Bob?" and he winked gently at his appreciative brother.
"Yes, you're an ass, of course!" said Bob, entering into the family humor.
"Good thing I've got a sister to keep me straight!" pursued the Earl, who was greatly amused with himself. "Might have gone about believing it, you know."