Without waiting for his assent, she turned quickly and Walked across the terrace to the vestibule of the hotel.
As she passed the two men in the lounge chairs, the elder again lifted his eyeglass; while the younger, leaning forward, stared at her with that superb lack of embarrassment or reserve that the young Englishman can at times assume.
"By Jove!" he said very softly, as the two new arrivals disappeared into the hotel.
His companion turned to him with a thin laugh that belied his carefully preserved appearance.
"Attractive—eh?" he said.
The other replaced his cigarette in his mouth.
"What nationality is she?" he asked after a moment's pause. "I'd feel inclined to say Italian myself, but the old father's so uncompromisingly Saxon."
Again the older man laughed—a laugh that expressed unfathomable worldly wisdom.
"Father!" he said satirically. "Fathers don't shuffle round their womenfolk like that. They are husband and wife."
"Husband and wife!" The other smiled. But the older man pursed up his lips.