‘Did you tell her about—about me?’
‘I had to, Constance. When it came to the necessity of squaring all of Gustavo’s yarns, my imagination gave out. Anyway, I had to tell her out of self-defence; she was so superior. She said it was just like a man to muddle everything up. Here I’d been ten days in the same town with the most charming girl in the world, and hadn’t so much as discovered her name; whereas if she had been managing it—— You see how it was; I had to let her know that I was quite capable of taking care of myself without any interference from her. I even—anticipated a trifle.’
‘How?’
‘She said she was engaged. I told her I was too.’
‘Indeed!’ Constance’s tone was remote. ‘To whom?’
‘The most charming girl in the world.’
‘May I ask her name?’
He laid his hand on his heart in a gesture reminiscent of Tony. ‘Costantina.’
‘Oh! I congratulate you.’
‘Thank you—I hoped you would.’