The manners of the lady of Kirklamont were in marked contrast to her pinched and chilled appearance. Her fairness was the kind that goes with a slightly reddened nose and a faint, bluish tinge about the mouth at this hour of the morning. She was most genial to Miss Ellis, and the girl was, in her turn, won to ease and confidence.
"No, thank you, I won't sit down. I didn't _mean_ to stay but half a minute ... though I'm afraid Greta may think, even now, that I still don't understand that her time belongs to you."
"But we are not such slave drivers!" The little lady shook her diamond ear-rings. Greta could certainly take any day off to be with her friend, and _every_ day, she of course had several hours at her disposal, whenever she wished.
Miss von Schwarzenberg, in the act of descending the stairs, had paused the fraction of a second. "Oh, there you are!" she threw over the banisters toward Lady McIntyre.
It occurred to Napier that the girl standing between him and Julian was a little uneasy at being found so far this side of the firs.
"Yes," Lady McIntyre said, "I was just arranging with Miss Ellis that she must stay to luncheon."
"And _I_ was just going to ask if you'd consent to _our_ plan," Greta said as she joined the group. "We thought of lunching at the inn."
At sight of the smile on Miss von Schwarzenberg's face--still more at her "plan,"--the slight cloud of dubiety vanished from Miss Ellis. She stood in full sunshine.
"But why not lunch here?" urged Lady McIntyre.
"We want to talk America, don't we? And the old days?"
"Well, then,"--Lady McIntyre fell in with what she took to be the previous arrangement--"you'll bring her back to tea."
They all saw Miss Ellis to the door, and Miss Greta saw her to the first gate.
"I say," remarked Julian, when the lady of the house had also disappeared, "why shouldn't we take those two girls around?"
"No, no! But after. He plays before tea, doesn't he?"
"Very well, then. We'll take 'em round after. I'll come with the motor." He caught up his cap. "You arrange it with the Paragon." Julian bolted off toward the footpath leading to the inn.
Did she realize that, the woman coming back with the reflective air? Apparently not. She lifted her bent head, and when she saw Napier was waiting there at the door alone she smiled. She was certainly very charming when she smiled.