"It's like something wearing through," she said, slowly. "I suppose it was always there, but it didn't show."
"Name your 'it.'"
"I can't." But she gave a little shudder, which made Meredith look at her with curiosity.
"You feel something ghostly--unearthly?"
She nodded assent; crying out, however, immediately afterwards, as though in compunction, that he was one of the dearest and best of fellows.
"Of course he is," said Meredith. "It is only the mystic in him coming out. He is one of the men who have the sixth sense."
"Well, all I know is, he has the oddest power over people," said Evelyn, with another shiver. "If Freddie had it, my life wouldn't be worth living. Thank goodness, he hasn't a vestige!"
"At bottom it's the power of the priest," said Meredith. "And you women are far too susceptible towards it. Nine times out of ten it plays the mischief."
The Duchess was silent a moment. Then she bent towards her companion, finger on lip, her charming eyes glancing significantly towards the lower terrace. The figures on it were now two. Julie and Delafield paced together.
"But this is the tenth!" she said, in an eager whisper.