"I want to say something to you," she said in a low voice.
"Is it anything nice?" asked Camilla, with a faint smile.
Mrs. Brenton touched the black chiffon that bordered Camilla's beautiful shoulders with a caressing hand.
"I don't want you to play for such heavy points to-night, darling," she said; "it is all very well if the money comes back to you, but I am afraid you have been losing rather heavily since you came down here, haven't you? Sometimes I feel tempted," Mrs. Brenton went on, "to impose a maximum sum for points here, but I suppose I should get myself well hated if I did! People would say it is a free country, and they ought to do what they like with their own."
"That is why you are scolding me," said Camilla, with her pretty smile.
Mrs. Brenton shook her head.
"You are not other people to me, and I do hate to see you risking too much, Camilla."
Camilla turned and just lightly kissed Mrs. Brenton's hand.
"Oh, we must risk something sometimes!" she said impatiently; then she added, "Don't worry about me, dear old thing, I really haven't lost very much, and I dare say I shall get it all back to-night. I feel in luck. Look"—she held out her wrist—"isn't this a sweet thing? Sammy has just given it to me to wear as a charm. He brought it from some weird place in America, and declares it is a magic stone, and that I shall have everything I want now that I wear it. I must go and show it to Ena Bayliss," Camilla said, with a wicked smile. "She will be so jealous! She rather affects Sammy, you know...."
When the men came there was no opportunity for a little chat between Mrs. Lancing and Haverford, for the card-players seated themselves immediately at the tables.