"I say Alizon," cried Errington gaily as his wife came up, "just fancy! Aunt Jelly's ward, Miss Sheldon, is staying at the Villa Medici."
"Miss Sheldon," said Lady Errington reflectively, "is that the pretty girl I met at Miss Corbin's?"
"Yes! you remember. On the day we went to see Aunt Jelly and ask her blessing," replied Guy eagerly.
"Who is she with?" asked Lady Errington; "surely Miss Corbin----"
"Oh no," interrupted Eustace, mirthfully. "You might as well expect to meet the Monument abroad as Aunt Jelly. I asked Miss Sheldon all about it, and it appears that ever since her arrival from Australia she has been anxious to come to the Continent, so as a friend of Aunt Jelly's was making what she calls the 'grand tower' with her husband, this young lady was placed under their mutual protection."
"I wish she was under mine," said Otterburn audibly, on whom the charms of the young lady in question had evidently made a deep impression, "she's so awfully pretty."
"I'm afraid it would be a case of the blind leading the blind," remarked Eustace drily.
"By the way," observed Guy, "who is Miss Sheldon? I asked Aunt Jelly, but she told me, sharply, to mind my own business."
"Wasn't that rather severe?" said Alizon mildly.
"Not for Aunt Jelly," retorted her husband. "Aunt Jelly's a huffy old party, but she's got a weakness for Eustace, who doesn't object to be sat upon, so perhaps he knows about this young lady."