"Could I see Jon here to-morrow on his way down to Holly's? He'd come if you sent him a line to-night, and perhaps afterwards you'd let them know quietly at Robin Hill that it's all over, and that they needn't tell Jon about his mother."
"All right!" said June abruptly. "I'll write now, and you can post it. Half-past two to-morrow. I shan't be in, myself."
She sat down at the tiny bureau which filled one corner. When she looked round with the finished note Fleur was still touching the poppies with her gloved finger.
June licked a stamp. "Well, here it is. If you're not in love, of course, there's no more to be said. Jon's lucky."
Fleur took the note. "Thanks awfully!"
'Cold-blooded little baggage!' thought June. Jon, son of her father, to love, and not to be loved by the daughter of—Soames! It was humiliating!
"Is that all?"
Fleur nodded; her frills shook and trembled as she swayed towards the door.
"Good-bye!"
"Good-bye! ... Little piece of fashion!" muttered June, closing the door. "That family!" And she marched back towards her studio. Boris Strumolowski had regained his Christlike silence, and Jimmy Portugal was damning everybody, except the group in whose behalf he ran the Neo-Artist. Among the condemned were Eric Cobbley, and several other "lame-duck" genii who at one time or another had held first place in the repertoire of June's aid and adoration. She experienced a sense of futility and disgust, and went to the window to let the river-wind blow those squeaky words away.