"They are entirely English both in my preferences and my friendships," was her reply, nor could she have told anyone why she put this affront upon him.
"She's going to make friends enough out yonder in the Fall," said Izard, whose quick ear caught the tone of their conversation. "I shall take this company over in September if we play to any money this side. Miss Romney goes with me, and I promise her a good time any way. America's the country for her talent. You've too many played-out actors over here. Most of them think themselves beautiful, and that's why their theatres close up."
He laughed a flattering tribute to his own cleverness, as much as to say—"My theatres never close up." Count Odin on his part smiled a little dryly as though he might yet have something to say to the proposed arrangement.
"Are you looking forward to the journey, Miss Romney?" he asked Etta in a low voice.
"I am not thinking at all about it," she said very truthfully.
"Then perhaps you are looking backward," he suggested, but in such a low tone that even Izard did not hear him.
When Etta turned her startled eyes upon him, he was already addressing some commonplace remark to his hostess, while Mr. Charles Izard amused himself by diligently checking the total of the bill.
"I could keep a steam yacht on what I pay for wine in this hotel," he remarked jovially, addressing himself so directly to the ladies that even his good dame protested.
"My dear Charles," she exclaimed, "you are not suggesting that I have drunk it?"
"Well, I hope some one has," was the affable retort. "Let's go and smoke. It's suffocating in here."