Eva ran off, singing in her delight, and went to find Hobbs. A moment later, her little silvery voice was heard at the top of the stairs, announcing to her nurse that she was to stay up to dinner with mama and daddy.
Presently the sound of the delightful babble ceased with the closing of the nursery door.
"You have scarcely had time to go down to the theatre," said Dora.
"No," replied Philip. "Lorimer began upon his endless theories again—what a bore he is when he talks like that! I could not stand him to-day; and, besides, I thought I had better get back and go on with the portrait until dinner."
He looked at the clock and took off his coat.
"It is going to be done to-day, after all then, that wretched portrait," said Dora, laughing and laying a stress on the word "wretched."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because I see you are tired of it."
"To tell you the truth, I am dying to get it done."
He put on his velvet jacket, sat at the easel, took his palette and his brushes.