“Not care for you? She must be a fool.”

He inclined his head in the slightest of bows.

“You are my sister, and prejudiced.”

“I know a man when I see one, whether he’s my brother or not.” She gave a short laugh. “Mon Dieu! I ought to, by this time.”

“My wife,” said Eric, “considers me a tiresome and conceited fellow. She dislikes a great many things about me; no doubt with reason.”

“Jealous,” commented his sister, who could see through other women.

He shrugged his shoulders.

“So some of my friends say. I cannot understand it. But you needn’t see much of each other.”

“I think I know her sort,” said Connie, watching the smoke from her cigarette. “Well, we both seem to have made a mess of things.”

This struck Eric as humorous, but not a sign of his amusement appeared in his face.