Some addressed her as "Miss," some as "Madame," but all agreed that she was either recently married to Mark Driver or on the point of becoming his wife. At first he enjoyed entering the huge warehouses by her side, standing by while she (obviously taking command of the expedition) expressed her wish to "see some carpets." He was amused to hear her discuss the nature of carpets in general; also at her manner of resisting every effort of persuasion, and finally walking to the door. When, however, several shops had been fruitlessly visited and enough carpets inspected to furnish a large, modern hotel, Mark began to feel weary.
"This is uncommonly hard work," he suggested. "I vote we have some tea as an entr'acte."
"Oh, very well, if you're tired already," said Carrissima, "we will go to Prince's."
"Can't we find a shop about here?" urged Mark.
"It won't take us half-an-hour in a taxi," she insisted, and a few minutes later they were on their way.
"After we have fortified ourselves," said Mark, "perhaps we shall find it possible to make up our minds."
When they reached the restaurant in Piccadilly, Carrissima admitted that she felt glad to sit down.
"Now, don't you think," suggested Mark, after she had drunk two cups of China tea and sampled the cakes, "we might begin serious business at the next place."
"If you're really sick of it," she answered, "we may as well go back to the beginning, though I wanted to visit one or two places about here."
"O Lord!" exclaimed Mark.