"That's a nice sort of welcome."
"I'm sorry," said I. "Please consider the question put more politely."
"Well, I'm here," she replied, "because it happens to be my good pleasure."
"Then I hope you'll find lots of pleasure, my dear Auriol."
She laughed, standing as cool as you please, very grateful to the eye in tussore coat and skirt, with open-necked blouse, and some kind of rakish hat displaying her thick auburn hair in defiance of the fashion which decreed concealment even of eyebrows with flower-pot head gear. She laughed easily, mockingly, although she saw plainly the pikestaff of a Lackaday upright a few yards away from her, in a rigid attitude of parade.
"Anyhow," she said, "I must go and say how d'ye do to the General."
I gave way to her. We walked side by side to the table. She advanced to him in the most unconcerned manner. Bakkus rose politely.
"My dear General, fancy seeing you here! How delightful."
I have never seen a man's eyes devour a woman with such idiotic obviousness.
"Lady Auriol," said he, "you are the last person I ever thought of meeting." He paused for a second. Then, "May I have the pleasure of introducing--Madame Patou--Lady Auriol Dayne--Mr. Bakkus--"