“That depends,” he replied, with a significant smile, which made her heart flutter strangely.
“New York is very gay this winter, and there will be plenty to entertain you for as long as you choose to remain,” Miss Loring promised, with a charming smile. “I suppose,” she added, “you have heard of the great wedding that is to come off on the thirtieth?”
“The great wedding! Whose?” Everet questioned, feigning ignorance, although the chief object of his call was to learn all he could about it.
“Why, that of your classmate and double, Mr. Geoffrey Huntress, and my dear friend, Gladys. I am astonished that you have not heard of it,” said Miss Addie, really surprised that he should not have received cards for the marriage.
“Ah! So Huntress is going to marry Miss Gladys, is he? Pray, what name will he bestow upon the lady?” the young man asked, with a curl of his handsome lips.
“Why, of course, there will be no change of name—Geoff was legally adopted by Mr. Huntress, so that makes everything all right,” returned Miss Loring, looking a trifle displeased at the slur that had been cast at her friend’s betrothed.
“Then the groom-elect has never been able to discover the secret of his parentage?” Everet remarked, inquiringly.
“I think not.”
“Are you pleased with this match, Miss Loring?”
“Of course I am—I think Geoffrey Huntress is a magnificent man,” she affirmed, emphatically. “It would, doubtless, be a great comfort to him to have the mystery of his birth solved; but it doesn’t matter, really—they love each other devotedly, and will make a splendid couple.”