But he said it so pleasantly and with such an air of paying a compliment, that Diana could not be offended; she only smiled a little bitterly in her lofty way, remembering other times when he would have given his right hand for a meeting of any kind with her.
In that moment a suspicion crossed Diana's mind. She understood the meaning of his remark perfectly, in spite of the bow and the smile, knowing, as she did, every intonation of his voice and every expression of his face. She saw that he was angry, and she argued that Julius preferred being with Leonora to being with herself. That was clearly the reason why he kept out of her way; he spent his time with Leonora. If Leonora attracted him, he was certainly at liberty to talk to her if he pleased, but Diana thought it must be a strong attraction indeed that kept him away from herself. It was long since he had missed an opportunity of spending an hour with his old love.
Diana sat down beside Leonora, and Batiscombe leaned against the rock and looked out over the sea, the fire dancing in his blue eyes, but his face as calm as ever. Diana began to talk to Leonora.
"You are very fortunate in getting such a place," she said. "It is by far the most beautiful on the whole shore."
"I wish it belonged to us," said Leonora. "I am sure I could come here every year and never grow tired of it."
"Ah!" exclaimed Diana, "do you like it so very much then?"
"J'en raffole!" answered Leonora enthusiastically, "I am crazy about it. And then, it is always so charming to have absolutely the best. As you say, there is nothing like this place on the whole bay. I should like always to have the best."
"But, madame," remarked Batiscombe, "it appears to me that you always do. You have the talent of supremacy."
"What an idea! The talent of supremacy!"
"But that is precisely it," continued Julius. "It is a talent. Some people are born with it—generally women."