“Oh, him! I’d forgotten. That his litter?”
“Yes.”
“Humph! I haven’t much faith in English artists. Better have waited till we went to Rome in the winter. Why, Tina, you look lovely this morning. That dress suits you exactly, beloved one.”
He bent down and kissed the softly rounded cheek, with the effect that the lady’s dark brows rose slightly, but enough to make a couple of creases across her forehead. Then, as a dull, cracking noise, as of the giving of some form of stay or stiffening was heard, the gentleman rose upright quickly, and glanced at himself in one of the many mirrors.
“Well, make him do you justice. But no—he cannot.”
“You are amiable this morning,” said the lady contemptuously.
“Always most amiable in your presence, my queen,” he replied.
“Oh, I see! You are going out?”
“Yes, dearest. By the way, don’t wait lunch, and I shall not be back to dinner.”
“Do you dine with Lady Grayson?”