“That is right,” she sung rather than spoke. “They meant nothing—oh, I am sure of that; though, do you remember how startled she was when she saw Lord Norman on the morning of the wedding?”
“I remember—yes,” he said. “But was she startled?”
“Yes, yes; quite so,” said Lady Ada. “I never saw any one so overwhelmed. Do you like this thing of Grieg’s, or shall I play a Chopin now?”
He did not answer. He was going back to the morning of the wedding, to Esmeralda’s embarrassment at sight of Norman.
“Get me the book of Chopin, will you?” asked Lady Ada.
He got the volume and placed it on the music-stand, and bent over her to turn the leaves.
As he did so, Esmeralda, followed by Norman, entered the room by the window. She saw the two at the piano. Trafford bending over the player, and the color rose to her face, then left it ivory pale. She stood quite still, looking at them.
“Have you had a nice walk, dear?” asked Lilias, folding up her embroidery.
Esmeralda nodded.