“Can only be applied to mannerisms, to the ninety-ninth part, the inconsiderable fraction of your charm. Miss Schley could never imitate the hidden woman, the woman who sings, the woman who laughs at, denies herself when she is not singing.”
“But no one cares for her—if she exists.”
There was a hint of secret bitterness in her voice when she said that.
“Give her a chance—and find out. But you know already that numbers do.”
He tried to look into her eyes, but she avoided his gaze and got up.
“Take me back to the ballroom.”
“You are going to dance?”
“I want to see who’s here.”
As they passed the next table Lady Holme nodded to Leo Ulford. He bowed in return and indicated that he was following almost immediately. Mrs. Ulford put down her ear-trumpet, turned her head sharply, and looked at Lady Holme sideways, fluttering her pink eyelids.
“How exactly like a bird she is,” murmured Lady Holme.