Farr was too obtuse to appreciate the drift of her remark.
"I was unfortunate. They did not see me."
Miss Stuart's brows contracted in a frown, and she flicked the long lash of her whip.
"You are not flattering, Val. I was at home."
He looked up at her quickly, a vague surprise in his eyes.
"I would not venture to inflict myself on you!" he replied with a careless laugh, and then he stood back a step, and raised his hat.
Miss Stuart's face flushed angrily, but she had no alternative but to drive on. As she gathered up the reins she shot a glance over her shoulder at Farr, but already he had turned away, and was moving rapidly down the road. She cut the horse with the whip, and in her heart was a burning desire to revenge herself on Jean.
As they took their places about the dinner-table at the manor that evening, Nathalie made some casual mention of the Vortex, thus giving Miss Stuart the pretext she sought.
"By the way," she said, fixing her eyes on Jean's face, although her words were addressed to Helen, "on my way home this afternoon after I left you, I met Mr. Farr and had such a pleasant chat with him. He was on his way to call on us, but as he met me, I suppose——" She broke off with a charming air of embarrassment.
Jean raised her head proudly, and met Miss Stuart's gaze with unflinching eyes.