“Lord Werter! Is not that the name of the gentleman you were with abroad?”
“Yes, for nearly five months, and we returned together but a few days ago.”
Annette had another surprise, so great that she almost fell out of her chair. Ray Dering, the companion for five months of Dallas Bain, whom in his jealousy he had sworn to kill! What could it mean?
In her surprise she could not help flashing him one swift look of wonder, and caught, in return, through the young man’s glasses, a look of such sorrowful deprecation that she was more and more mystified.
Royall’s spirits seemed brighter than usual this morning, perhaps owing to the cheerful influence of his new friend, and as he trifled with the dainty viands on his plate, he kept up the conversation with Annette, plying her with questions about her conquest.
“Is he handsome, Annette?”
“Oh, yes—in a dark and stately style,” she replied.
“And you think you have made an impression on his heart?”
Annette blushed again, and Daisie, who seemed quite gay this morning, interposed:
“If you had been there you would have thought so. They were together an hour or more in the conservatory, and Lutie and all the other women were madly jealous.”