"Well, there may be worse taste, if there can be bad taste with flowers. Any color?"
"Yes, they were all white. I was a little surprised at that, considering that the lady was so dark and Eastern-looking."
"Of course you ascertained her name?"
"Indeed, I did nothing of the kind. I forgot all about it. But I had a good look at her, and the description I gave you is quite correct. Uncle, I don't want to seem unduly curious, but I fancy you expected to find this lady here."
Ralph rose to his feet slowly, and knocked out the ashes of his pipe. He turned his face toward the castle.
"I am not altogether surprised," he said.
Not another word was said for some time. Ralph appeared to be deeply cogitating, so deeply that Geoffrey asked of what he was thinking.
"I was thinking," Ralph said slowly, yet drily, and with the same dense manner, "that a pair of dark, gold-rimmed glasses would improve my personal appearance."