"I said that, if she had a good case, she ought to go to law; and, if she hadn't, she ought to stop making herself ridiculous and the rest of us uncomfortable."
"You spoke with the general assent of the company?"
"I said what I thought—yes, I think they all agreed—but she took it—well, in the way I've told you, you know."
Lady Norah had, in the course of conversation, insensibly advanced on to the terrace. She stood there now beside Lynborough.
"How do you think I'm taking it?" he asked. "Doesn't my fortitude wring applause from you?"
"Taking what?"
"Exactly the same thing from my friends. They tell me to go to law if I've got a case—and at any rate to stop persecuting a lady. And they've both given me warning."
"Mr. Stabb and Mr. Wilbraham? They're going away?"
"So it appears. Carry back those tidings. Won't they dry the Marchesa's tears?"
Norah looked at him with a smile. "Well, it is pretty clever of her, isn't it?" she said. "I didn't think she'd got along as quickly as that!" Norah's voice was full of an honest and undisguised admiration.