“My, what a reason! Did you expect to find my father here?”
“Certainly not. He sailed in his yacht for Cherbourg three days ago.”
“Then I shall call you a wizard. Please tell me why you wanted to see me.”
“You interested me. Besides, did not I say that I would come? Would you have me at Eastbourne or Cromer, cooped up with women who talk in stares and men whose ambitions rot in bunkers? I came to see you. That is a compliment. I wished to say good-bye to you before you return to America.”
“But we are not going to Amer——that is, of course, my home is there. Did not father tell you that?”
“Possibly. I have a poor head for places. There are so many in America.”
“But I just love them,” she said quickly; and then, with mischief in her eyes, she added, “No one minds other people trying to find out all about them in America.”
It was a sly thrust and told me much. This child did not carry a secret, I said; she carried the fear that there might be a secret. I had need of all my tact. How fate would laugh at me if I fell in love with her! But that was a fool’s surmise, and not to be considered.
“Curiosity,” I said, “may have one of two purposes. It may desire to befriend or to injure. Please consider that when you have the time to consider anything. I perceive that there are at least a dozen young men waiting to tell you that you are very beautiful. Do not let me forbid them. As we are staying at the same hotel——”
“What? You have gone to the Palais?”