“Then why aren’t you broken-hearted? I don’t believe any of you young men have got hearts nowadays.”
“That accounts for their not being broken,” said Peter.
It was time to laugh loudly again in order to remind the rest of the diners what a brilliant time she was having, and May Trentham did this.
“There he goes again!” she said. “Is he not shocking? My dear, have you had a dreadful scene with her?”
“No. I only had tea with her.”
“Oh, don’t pretend you weren’t desperately in love with her. But never mind. I will find some other girl for you, who will adore you so violently that you will lose your heart to her, though you say you haven’t got one. She shall be rich and lovely, and we shall all be frantically jealous of her. And you shall both call me Aunt May, because I have brought you together.”
“Thank you, Aunt May,” said Peter. “Go on about her, please.”
“No, I’ve talked to you long enough. Tommy is feeling left out. When the opera is over, by the way, I want you all to come on to Ella Thirlmere’s dance. I promised to bring you all. Mrs. Wardour is sure to be coming, and she will certainly have plenty of motor-cars to take us. Oh, there is that marvellous Spanish boxer, is it not, dining alone with Ella. How gentle and kind he looks! Darling Ella! I wonder if she will have six rounds with him in the middle of her dance. I would certainly back her: look at her chest. But how daring of her to dine with him here! They say he marries again after each of his fights and settles all the money he has won on his new wife. But, after all, I suppose it’s just as daring of me to dine with three such attractive young men as for her to dine with just one Solomon like that!”
Tommy puzzled over this for a moment. He was very good-looking, but there was no other reason for him.
“Solomon?” he asked.