The Duchess took the case, clearly, as no matter for grimacing; there reigned in her large pink face a meridian calm. “He’s very susceptible. He thinks every one clever—and sometimes they are.”
“Sometimes,” Bessie cheerfully assented.
The Duchess continued all serenely and publicly to appraise her. “Lambeth’s very susceptible, but he’s very volatile too.”
“Volatile?” Bessie echoed.
“He’s very inconstant. It won’t do to depend on him.”
“Ah,” the girl returned, “I don’t recognise that description. We’ve depended on him greatly, my sister and I, and have found him so faithful. He has never disappointed us.”
“He’ll disappoint you yet,” said her Grace with a certain rich force.
Bessie gave a laugh of amusement as at such a contention from such a quarter. “I suppose it will depend on what we expect of him.”
“The less you expect the better,” said her massive monitress.
“Well, we expect nothing unreasonable.”