Lady Blanchemain fixed him with darkening eyes.
"Are you sure?" she pleaded.
"I saw it officially stated in the Morning Post," was John's relentless answer.
"What a nuisance," said Lady Blanchemain, fanning. Her fan was of amber tortoise-shell, with white ostrich feathers, and the end sticks bore her cypher and coronet in gold.
"What a jolly fan," said John.
"Well, well," said Lady Blanchemain, reconciling herself. Then, after an instant of pensiveness, "So you're already laid low by her beauty. But you haven't found out yet who she is?"
"Who who is?" said John, looking all at sea.
"Tut. Don't tease. Your woman at the castle."
"My woman at the castle appeared to leave you cold," he complained. "I arrived full of her, and you wouldn't listen."
"So you're already in love with her?" said Lady Blanchemain.