Susanne is asleep with her head on the dressing-table. Helen says kindly, as the little, plump thing makes an effort to wake up:
"Go to bed, child. I will look after myself to-night."
Susanne goes, and Helen stands a moment, looking at her reflection in the glass. She smiles at it. She says half aloud:
"Yes, I am very beautiful. I love beautiful things"—with a nod at herself. She unfastens her gown, and it slips to the floor; she steps out of it. She takes the pins from her hair and it falls over her shoulders with a little swish. Braine taps at the door. She calls: "One moment, Ed."
She throws about her the negligée on the chair and calls, "Come in," adding, "You didn't have much to do," as Braine enters the room.
"If I did, I didn't do it," with a little laugh. He throws himself into a chair by her dressing-room fire. After a moment he says:
"Come here, dear."
Helen is brushing her hair at the mirror. She puts down the brush and goes over to him. He pulls her down beside him. For a moment they sit silently, cheek to cheek, looking into the fire together. Finally, Braine says in a low voice:
"I want to talk to you, dear, about—about a business matter." He pauses.
Helen smiles a little mistily. She does not know anything about business matters, but she will like to hear about anything if he tells it. She says: