"What do you know of Aunt Jelly, Mr. Macjean?" she asked, putting her fan up to her lips to hide a laugh.
"I know nothing; absolutely nothing," he replied, with mock humility, "beyond the fact that Gartney and Errington have both mentioned her as an eccentric character, so I wish to know more about her."
If he did, his curiosity was not destined to be gratified at that moment, for, with the whimsical caprice of a woman, Victoria suddenly began to talk on quite a different subject, suggested by the casual mention of a name.
"Do you like Lady Errington?" she demanded, looking from one to the other.
"She is a very charming woman," said Eustace evasively. "She knows you, I believe."
"Slightly! I met her at Aunt Jelly's, when she called one day."
"And what is Aunt Jelly's opinion?"
The girl laughed, and then, composing her features into a kind of stern severity, spoke in a harsh, measured voice:
"Not what I approve of; limp! washed out, no backbone, but no doubt she'll make Guy a good wife. Not a hard thing for any woman to do seeing he's an idiot. So was his father before him, and he did not take after his mother, thank God."
"The voice is the voice of Miss Sheldon," murmured Eustace, delicately manipulating a cigarette, "but the sentiments are those of my beloved aunt."