“Yes,” agreed the Duchessa. “You, however, said ‘particularly Kings.’”
“My mistake,” said Christopher politely. “I should have said particularly aces.”
The Duchessa made a little gracious gesture of forgiveness. Paul had been stroking a small grey kitten—gift of Dan to Pippa—during the little conversation, and was apparently entirely engrossed in the kitten. But he had heard every word, and Christopher’s intimacy with the Duchessa was seen by him in a new and far more satisfactory light.
“But now,” said the Duchessa, addressing herself to Miss Mason, “I want to hear everything you have been doing since last May.”
Miss Mason glanced around the studio.
“Got a studio,” she said.
“And also,” said Barnabas, “she has adopted six nephews and one niece.”
“Me,” said Pippa, who was gazing at the Duchessa with fascinated eyes.
Sara smiled. She looked at Paul and Barnabas.
“I imagine,” she said, “that these are two of the nephews. Where are the others?”