"Yes," said Lady Verny in a gentle, even voice, "I know we had, Julian; but I can't bear it."
Julian's eyes changed and softened. He put his hand on her knee and let it rest there for a moment.
"I can, if it's only you," he said; "but I can't stand a lot of sympathetic women. One's a lot."
"You don't like her, then?" his mother asked. "I'm sorry; I always did from the first day I saw her. I don't know why; she hasn't any behavior."
"I don't dislike her," said Julian. "I don't think her behavior matters. She isn't at all a bother. I rather like her being so awfully little a woman; it's restful. Half the time I don't notice if she's in the room or not."
"And the other half of the time?" Lady Verny asked, with apparent carelessness.
"Oh, the other half of the time," said Julian, with a little, twisted smile, "I quite appreciate the fact that she is. Especially when you've taken the trouble to dress her as you did last night."
"I had to see what she looked like," Lady Verny explained defensively.
"I think, if you want her to stay in this house," said Julian, dryly, "you'd better let her look as little like that again as possible. I might have tolerated a secretary if I had wanted to write a book; but I'd tolerate no approach to a picture. She can go and be picturesque at the town hall. My artistic sense has already been satisfied up to the brim. How did you get her to take the clothes she had on last night?"
"I told her," said Lady Verny, blushing, "that I had the materials by me, and couldn't possibly use them, as I was too old for light colors, and Girton could make her a simple little dress. And then I stood over Girton. As a matter of fact, I did send for the green jade comb and the shoes and stockings."