'Dear me, Geraldine! that is very moderate praise. I never saw anyone with more finished manners.'
Here Audrey moved away, but her lip curled a little. Would Geraldine's tone have been so utterly devoid of enthusiasm if she had not known her sister was within earshot?
Just then Mollie touched Audrey on the arm.
'Miss Ross, Cyril says that I have been here long enough, and that he is going to take me away.'
'Are you sure that I worded it quite so ungraciously?' observed Cyril, who had followed her. 'All the same, I think you will endorse my opinion, Miss Ross. Mollie has been here all the afternoon.'
'It has been a very pleasant afternoon,' returned Audrey, with one of her kind looks at Mollie; 'and I hope we shall have many more. Mollie and I mean to see a good deal of each other.' And then she bade them good-bye and turned to the other guests, who were also making their adieux.
Geraldine remained behind to exchange a few confidential words with her mother, and Audrey stepped out on the terrace. As she did so, she was surprised to see Michael sitting just outside the drawing-room window. He had evidently been there some time.
As she sat down beside him she was struck by his air of dejection.
'Oh, Michael, how tired you look! have you had your tea?'
He shook his head.