Susannah's glittering brown hair was blown across her brow by the little breeze from the terrace as she turned to glance up at him.
"We were at school together—yes, a dear friend of mine; you do not know her?"
"I heard of her but now at Dover—Miss Selina Boyle——"
"Heard of her?"
Marius laughed.
"Mr. Hardinge met a friend who was lately from the Wells," he explained, "and Rose was mentioned; this gentleman had seen him at the Wells; he had a rake-helly reputation, he declared...."
"Marius!" protested the Countess, rising delicately; "that is not fair to Rose."
"But about Selina?" cried Miss Chressham, and her white brow was wrinkled.
"Oh, la, Susannah, I only heard that she was at the Wells, and what a name she had for a belle, and how Rose was paying her a deal of attention—you must know that!"
Miss Chressham was completely off her guard.