"And one of which I suppose the human female never grows tired," Mrs. Delarayne observed rising.
"Any excuse will do," Vanessa continued, resting a hand gently on Cleopatra's shoulder. "Won't it, Cleo dear?"
Cleopatra darted up, saw that her mother was too much engaged greeting the party from the Park to notice her disappearance, and made rapidly towards the house.
"Isn't Cleo well?" Miss Mallowcoid demanded, her eyebrows high up in her fringe with indignant surprise.
"It surely isn't as bad as all that!" ejaculated the unfortunate widow. "Do you notice it too?"
"It certainly is very noticeable, I should have thought," Vanessa remarked.
Mrs. Delarayne then begged the young Jewess to find out what Cleopatra was doing, and to persuade her if possible to lie down. She thereupon conducted her guests to a small marquee where tea was laid, and called to the tennis-players to join them.
In a moment Vanessa returned.
"She doesn't want me," she exclaimed. "She says she wants to be alone."
"But isn't she going to have any tea?" cried Mrs. Delarayne shrilly.