"I don't know anything about her acting. I saw her in private—at Nick Dormer's studio."
"At Nick's—?" He was interested now.
"What was she doing there?"
"She was sprawling over the room and—rather insolently—staring at me."
If Mrs. Dallow had wished to "draw" her brother she must at this point have suspected she succeeded, in spite of his care to divest his tone of all emotion. "Why, does he know her so well? I didn't know."
"She's sitting to him for her portrait—at least she was then."
"Oh yes, I remember—I put him up to that. I'm greatly interested. Is the portrait good?"
"I haven't the least idea—I didn't look at it. I daresay it's like," Julia threw off.
"But how in the world"—and Peter's interest grew franker—"does Nick find time to paint?"
"I don't know. That horrid man brought her."