“Oh, bother it!” she said; “I give up here and now trying to do any good. It is no earthly use.”
“David said that when he left Oxford,” said Lady Varens, lighting a cigarette to avoid Teresa’s eye. “But in a way he works harder than ever at it now.”
“Does he?” Teresa answered with elaborate indifference.
“Yes; won’t you come to dinner with us while we are with Mr. Manley? He said I was to ask anyone I liked and he loves you.”
“Yes, I would like to.”
“Very well; come next Thursday if you are not too busy,” said Lady Varens. “By the way, how is your sister? Are they still at Drage?”
“Oh, no—dear me, it is a long story to tell you all the things that have happened since you left. But Evan is in Egypt and Evangeline and Ivor are with us.”
“I am sorry; that sounds dreary,” she said. “I never knew your sister well, but I liked him though he seemed so different from her. I often wished he had thought of going out to the colonies or something of that sort. I believe it would have suited her. I can’t see her in a garrison town.”
“She used to say she would like to lead two lives at once,” said Teresa. “One a sort of Wild West business and the other with someone very literary, but Evan isn’t either, so I suppose people compromise or do something different from what they intended.”
“Tell me, Teresa,” said Lady Varens, “I am not asking from curiosity; is it a success?”