On Wednesday evening Carlton took the ladies to the opera, where the Hohenwalds occupied a box immediately opposite them. Carlton pretended to be surprised at this fact, but Mrs. Downs doubted his sincerity.
“I saw Nolan talking to their courier to-day,” she said, “and I fancy he asked a few leading questions.”
“Well, he didn’t learn much if he did,” he said.
“The fellow only talks German.”
“Ah, then he has been asking questions!” said Miss Morris.
“Well, he does it on his own responsibility,” said Carlton, “for I told him to have nothing to do with servants. He has too much zeal, has Nolan; I’m afraid of him.”
“If you were only half as interested as he is,” said Miss Morris, “you would have known her long ago.”
“Long ago?” exclaimed Carlton. “I only saw her four days since.”
“She is certainly very beautiful,” said Miss Morris, looking across the auditorium.
“But she isn’t there,” said Carlton. “That’s the eldest sister; the two other sisters went out on the coach this morning to Versailles, and were too tired to come to-night. At least, so Nolan says. He seems to have established a friendship for their English maid, but whether it’s on my account or his own I don’t know. I doubt his unselfishness.”