'That's just why she wants to see it, I suppose; and I don't know why her being from California should prevent. At any rate she wants us to have the best. Isn't the best taste in Paris?'
'Yes; and the worst.' It made him gloomy when she defended the old lady, and to change the subject he asked: 'Aren't you sorry, this last night, to leave your own country for such an indefinite time?'
It didn't cheer him up that the girl should answer: 'Oh, I would go anywhere with mother!'
'And with her?' Raymond demanded, sarcastically, as Mademoiselle Bourde came in sight, emerging from the drawing-room. She approached them; they met her in a moment, and she informed Dora that Mrs. Temperly wished her to come back and play a part of that composition of Saint-Saens—the last one she had been learning—for Mr. and Mrs. Parminter: they wanted to judge whether their daughter could manage it.
'I don't believe she can,' said Dora, smiling; but she was moving away to comply when her companion detained her a moment.
Are you going to bid me good-bye?'
'Won't you come back to the drawing-room?'
'I think not; I don't like it.'
'And to mamma—you'll say nothing?' the girl went on.
'Oh, we have made our farewell; we had a special interview this afternoon.'