He cleared the preoccupation from his face, and looked at his sister. "You look blooming," he said. "Do you miss Nancy?"
"Yes, awfully," she said, "but I'm going to stay with them the moment they get back. I hear from her every day. They're having a gorgeous time. They are going to take me abroad with them next year. I shall love it."
"I've got a piece of news for you," said Humphrey after a pause. "Bobby Trench is engaged to be married."
A flush crept over her face and died away again before she said, "That's rather sudden, isn't it? Who is he going to marry?"
"Lady Bertha Willersley. Can't say I admire his taste much. She's amusing enough for a time, but I should think she'd tire you to death if you had too much of her. She can't be much younger than he is, either. She's been about almost ever since I can remember."
"Oh, well," said Joan, with an embarrassed laugh, "it shows I was right."
"I'm not sure that it doesn't," Humphrey admitted. "Bobby has always been a friend of mine, and I like him well enough; but he is rather a rotter. I think you're pretty well out of it, Joan."
"I'm sure I am," she said. "But you didn't say so at the time."
"Poor old girl," he said. "We gave you rather a bad time, didn't we? But you did lead him on a bit, didn't you?"
"I didn't," said Joan indignantly. "I always said I wouldn't have him."