"No!" The Duchess threw up her hands in amazement. "How have you managed that?"
"By giving in. But, Evelyn, I'm not coming."
"Oh, Julie!" The Duchess threw herself back in her chair and fixed a pair of very blue and very reproachful eyes on Miss Le Breton.
"No, I'm not coming. If I'm to stay here, even for a time, I mustn't provoke her any more. She says I may come, but she doesn't mean it."
"She couldn't mean anything civil or agreeable. How has she been behaving--since Sunday?"
Julie looked uncertain.
"Oh, there is an armed truce. I was made to have a fire in my bedroom last night. And Hutton took the dogs out yesterday."
The Duchess laughed.
"And there was quite a scene on Sunday? You don't tell me much about it in your letter. But, Julie"--her voice dropped to a whisper--"was anything said about Jacob?"
Julie looked down. A bitterness crept into her face.