And her inward thought was that she would like Hector's sister. Anne's frankness and sans gêne were so pleasing.
They exchanged a few agreeable sentences while each measured the other, and then Lady Anningford said:
"You come from Australia, don't you?"
"Australia!" smiled Theodora, while her eyes opened wide. "Oh no! I have never been out of France and Belgium and places like that. My husband lived in Melbourne for some years, though."
"I thought it could not be possible," quoth Anne to herself.
"Then you don't know much of England yet?" she said, aloud.
"It is my first visit; and it seems very dull and rainy. This is the only really fine day we have had since we arrived."
Anne soon dexterously elicited an outline of Theodora's plans and what she was doing. They would only remain in town until Whitsuntide, perhaps returning later for a week or two; and Mrs. Devlyn, to whom her father had sent her an introduction, had been kind enough to tell them what to do and how to see a little of London. She was going to a ball to-night. The first real ball she had ever been to in her life, she said, ingenuously.
And Lady Anningford looked at her and each moment fell more under her charm.
"The ball at Harrowfield House, I expect, to meet the King of Guatemala," she said, knowing Lady Harrowfield was Florence Devlyn's cousin.