When she went into the drawing-room again, she found him no longer resting in the arm-chair. He was standing at the writing-table, absorbed in contemplating Richard's photograph, to her great discomposure. If only she had thought of slipping it into a drawer; but now it was too late. He let his eyes glide over her Venus draperies in perplexity; then he caught hold of both her hands.
"Why have you made yourself so beautiful for me?" he asked.
"I wanted you to feel just a little bit at home here," she said, letting her eyes fall. "Nothing more. Now come to supper. You know we've had nothing to eat this evening."
"Eat and drink now ... But I will sit with you at the table, if you like, while you eat."
"Then I won't have anything, either," she said, putting her arm round his neck and drawing him so closely to her that the pressure almost took her breath away.
Peterle, the small monkey, who had been asleep in his corner, now woke, and made a little jealous whimper as he stretched his grey hands through the bars as if to plead his right to be a third in the compact.
The strange sound made the guest start.
Lilly smilingly reassured him. "After supper I must introduce you to my little people. My friends must be your friends, you know."
He drew himself up. "How can you? What would you introduce me as?" he asked.
"Oh no!" Lilly protested; "I did not mean anything of that kind. I only meant ..." She couldn't say what.