"Oh, Otterburn is in London."
"In London!" she echoed, starting violently.
"Dear me, Victoria," said Aunt Jelly, snappishly, "how nervous you are, child! You've upset my wool all over the place."
Victoria, glad of an excuse to hide her face, bent down to pick up the ball, and Aunt Jelly, having caught Otterburn's name, went on talking.
"Otterburn, eh? I know that name. Wasn't that the young man you flirted with at Como, Victoria?"
"I didn't flirt with him," cried Victoria, raising her head defiantly. "At least," she added, catching sight of Gartney's keen eye fixed on her, "at least, not much."
"That's so like you, child," observed Aunt Jelly, disentangling her yarn, "you will play with fire--some day you'll burn your fingers."
"Perhaps that catastrophe has happened already," said Eustace quickly.
Miss Sheldon laughed in a somewhat artificial manner at this remark, and promptly denied it.
"I'm sure it hasn't," she said, looking straight at Eustace with crimson cheeks. "I take too good care of myself for that. But talking about Mr. Macjean, how is it I have not seen him?"