“She seems just a little casual, doesn’t she?” Virginia asked—­“rather as though you had brought me to call?”

“Don’t you worry, dear,” he answered, smiling.  “That’s only her manner.  Just drink your tea and you’ll feel better.”

Virginia shook her head.

“I can’t, Guy,” she declared.  “It’s just too poisonous.”

“I’ll ring for some fresh,” he said, moving toward the bell.

“Please don’t,” she begged.  “I hate tea anyway.  Guy, you are not sorry, are you?”

He took her hand and laughed reassuringly.

“You little idiot!” he said.  “Do you want me to kiss you?”

“I don’t much care,” Virginia answered.  “I have a sort of feeling in my throat that I want—­some one to kiss me.  You’re quite, quite sure that whatever your aunt may say you will never regret this?”

“Absolutely, positively certain!” he declared.  “And you?”

“It isn’t the same thing with me,” Virginia declared, shaking her head.  “I am not going to marry a pig in a poke.”

“It’s a very dear little pig,” he said, resting his hand for a moment upon her shoulder.

Lady Medlincourt reappeared.  She resumed her seat, and motioned Guy to sit opposite to her.

“Now we shall not be disturbed for at least a quarter of an hour,” she said, “and I want to hear all about it.  You are very pretty, I am glad to see, dear,” she said, looking at Virginia contemplatively.  “I hate plain girls.  What did you say that your name was?”

“Virginia Longworth!” Virginia answered, blushing.

“Quite a charming name!” Lady Medlincourt said, shutting her eyeglasses with a snap.  “Tell me all about her, Guy.”

“My dear aunt,” he answered, laughing, “we aren’t married yet.”

Lady Medlincourt nodded.

“Ah!” she said.  “No doubt you’ll have plenty to discover later on.  Put it another way.  Tell me the things that I must know about the Duchess of Mowbray.”

“As for instance?” he asked quietly.

“Her people,” Lady Medlincourt said.  “You are American, I suppose, child?” she continued.  “You have very little accent, but I fancy that I can just detect it, and we don’t see eyes like yours in England.”

“Yes, I am American, Lady Medlincourt,” Virginia answered.

“Who are your people, then?” Lady Medlincourt asked.  “Where did you meet?  Who introduced you?  Don’t look at one another like a pair of stupids.  Remember that, however pointed my questions may sound, they are things which I must know if I am to be of any use to you.”

Virginia went a little pale.

“Lady Medlincourt,” she said, “I am sorry, but I cannot answer any questions just now.”

Lady Medlincourt drew back a little in her place.  She looked at the girl in frank amazement.

“What!” she exclaimed.

Guy leaned forward in his chair.

“Dear aunt,” he pleaded, “don’t think that we are both mad, but I have promised Virginia that she shan’t be bothered with questions for a short time.  I met her on the steamer coming over from America, and that is all we can tell you just now.”