"No. Did you expect Mr. Calvert?"
Laura looked annoyed. "I did not. He is not likely to come here."
"So you said the other day. Yet I found him with Walter in this room when I came to tell him about the name of the woman being discovered." Mrs. Fane cast a long look at Laura, who took no notice.
"I think we may as well drop the subject, Julia," said the younger sister. "You will never do Arnold justice."
"I would with pleasure were he rich," said Julia blandly. "But as he is poor I wish to discourage your infatuation by all the means in my power. Then again, Laura, you know very little about him."
"What I do know is good," retorted Laura, sitting down.
"Ah, but there may be some bad in him for all that. Has he told you all his life?"
"Yes. His father and mother died when he was a child, and he was brought up by a guardian. He has a small property, and went on the stage to make a name."
"You have seen him act in this new piece?" asked Mrs. Fane, keeping her eyes on the knitting, but listening with all her ears for the answer. "I think you said something about going to the Frivolity with that Baldwin girl."
"I went with Gerty, and liked the play," said Laura coldly.