Hadria was just turning to seek this misplaced genius, when she paused in the doorway.
“By the way, I suppose Sapphira has——”
“Do try and cure yourself of the habit of calling the girl by that absurd name, Hadria.”
“Oh, yes; but the name is so descriptive. She has told you of Miss Du Prel’s arrival?”
“She has told me nothing of the sort.”
Temperley did not look overjoyed. There had never been much cordiality between him and Valeria since the afternoon when they had met at Dunaghee, and found their sentiments in hopeless opposition.
Miss Du Prel took no interest in Hubert, though she admired his character. She had every wish to make herself agreeable to him, but her efforts in that direction were somewhat neutralized by an incurable absence of mind. If she was not interested, as Hadria said, she was seldom affable.
Possibly Hubert’s request to her, years ago at Dunaghee, to “think for a moment” had not been forgiven.
“Where is she? Oh!——”
The exclamation was in consequence of Miss Du Prel’s appearing at the door of the library, whence she surveyed the group with absent-minded intentness.