She was trying to read Diana as she spoke, eyeing her with sidelong glances, and as they went, laying her daintily gloved hand on Diana's arm to help herself along. Diana was astounded both at her confidence and at her request for counsel; but as to meet the request would be to return the confidence, she was silent. She was thinking, too, of the elegant little boot Mrs. Reverdy had displayed, and contrasting it with her own coarse shoes. And how very familiar these two were, that he should speak to her by her first name so!
"Miss Starling!" cried the other lady behind her,—"do you know we have been following your lead all the way we were coming this morning?"
"Mr. Knowlton said so," Diana replied, half turning.
"Aren't you very much flattered?"
This time Diana turned quite, and faced the two.
"My mother was driving, Mrs. Reverdy."
"Ah?" said the other with a very amused laugh. "But you could have done it just as well, I suppose."
What does she mean? thought Diana.
"Can you do anything?" inquired the gay lady on her arm. "I am a useless creature; I can only fire a pistol, and leap a fence on horseback, and dance a polka. What can you do? I dare say you are worth a great deal more than me. Can you make butter and bread and pudding and pies and sweetmeats and pickles, and all that sort of thing? I dare say you can."
"I can do that."