“Of course, you know all about them, every shameful secret in the family for generations back?” she said, with a sigh.
He laughed.
“I have such a dreadfully good memory, dear lady. Well, you dined there——”
“Yes; and coming home I passed down the High street, and saw Lord Cecil. He was standing at the door of a fly, opposite the theatre, talking to a lady, a girl.”
He nodded, and puffed at his cigarette placidly, with half-closed eyes, looking, indeed, almost asleep; but his next question proved that he was very much awake.
“Was she pretty, Lady Grace?”
“I only saw her for a moment. Yes,” she admitted, reluctantly.
“You did not know her?”
She shook her head.
“No. She was not one of the daughters of any of the county people; besides, it was a fly. It was opposite the side entrance——”