"Ann said just now she heard Octavius telling you that my nephew, Champney Googe, is in town—when did he come?"
"I don't know—Tave didn't say."
"I wonder Alice Van Ostend didn't mention that he was coming here before going on the yachting cruise they've planned. I had a letter from her yesterday—I know you'd like to hear it."
"Of course I should! It's the first one she has written you, isn't it?—Where is it?" She spoke with her usual animated interest.
"I have it here."
She took up one of several letters in her lap, opened it, turned it over, adjusted her glasses and began to read a paragraph here and there. Aileen listened eagerly.
"I suppose I may as well read it all—Alice wouldn't mind you," said Mrs. Champney, and proceeded to give the full contents. It was filled with anticipations of the yachting cruise, of a later visit to Flamsted, of Champney and her friends. Champney's name occurred many times,—Alice's attitude towards the possessor of it seemed to be that of private ownership,—but everything was written with the frankness of an accepted publicity of the fact that Mr. Googe was one of her social appendages. Aileen was amused at the whole tone of the rather lengthy epistle; it gave her no uneasiness.
Mrs. Champney laid aside her glasses; she wanted to note the effect of the reading on the girl.
"You can see for yourself from this how matters stand between these two; it needn't be spoken of in Flamsted outside the family, but it's just as well for you to know of it—don't you think so?"
Aileen parried; she enjoyed a little bout with Champney Googe's aunt.