“Why, somebody married you, Mrs. Forbes,” she said kindly.
Mr. Evringham's paper hid a face which suddenly contorted, but the housekeeper's quick-glancing eyes could not see a telltale motion.
She gave a hard little laugh. “You think there's hope for you then, do you?” she returned.
“I guess I'm not going to be married,” replied Jewel. “Father says I'm going to be his bachelor maid when I grow up.”
“Shouldn't wonder if you were,” said Mrs. Forbes dryly.
The owner of the American Beauties and the beribboned bonbon box was taking her coffee as usual in bed. This luxurious habit had never been hers until she came to Bel-Air; but it was her mother's custom, and rather than undergo a tete-a-tete breakfast with her host, she had adopted it.
Now she had made her toilet deliberately. There was nothing to hurry for. Her mother's voice came in detached sentences and questions from the next room.
“Dear me, this rain is too trying, Eloise! Didn't you have some engagement with Dr. Ballard to-day?”
“He thought he could get off for some golf this afternoon.”
“What a disappointment for the dear fellow,” feelingly. “He has so little time to himself!”