"And what in white?" asked Lady Esdaile with interest.
"White I never wear, Aunt Constance, for the dual reason that my hairs are dark and my years are many."
"But it is so economical," persisted Lady Esdaile; "if you wear white, people never remember it."
"And they never remember me either," added Isabel, "I look so very plain in it."
"I am afraid we are shocking Mr. Seaton," said Lady Esdaile sweetly, "he looks so serious. But that is the worst of men; they despise us if we try to look nice, and they ignore us if we don't."
"Come, Lady Esdaile, we are not quite as bad as that."
Lady Esdaile sighed. "Yes, you are. And then, again, you hate us for getting old, and you laugh at us for trying to keep young. You really are tiresome creatures!"
Paul was amused. "I own we are hard upon you when you tell fibs about your ages, because such fibbing seems so foolish to us. When will women learn to be as proud of being old as they are now of being young?"
"When men admire old women as much as young ones, and not a moment before," replied Isabel smartly.
Every one laughed.