Dinner was half way through before Barnard returned to his task of studying her individually; then he turned to her with his most suavely confidential manner.
"Have you been very gay in Florence this season?" he asked.
She looked up quickly.
"Gay?" she repeated. "Oh no! I don't think we are ever exactly gay."
He raised his eyebrows.
"Indeed!" he said. "You surprise me. There used to be quite an amusing English crowd at Florence."
Clodagh coloured, feeling vaguely conscious of some want in her social equipment.
"Oh, I didn't mean the other English residents," she corrected hastily. "I meant ourselves—James and I."
Barnard's face became profoundly interested.
"But don't you care for society?" he said, his eyes travelling expressively over her pretty dress.