"That's going from a question of eyes to ethics, isn't it; but whether or not I ever had imagination enough to tell a whopper, I am telling the truth now when I say that I have come to the conclusion that you are the nicest girl I ever met as well as being the most beautiful--that's why I tried to. You see I always thought you the most beautiful--that's why I tried to avoid meeting you for a long time--I was afraid that I would be disillusioned, as they call it."
"On the contrary I think that--that we're on the eve of a very interesting experiment--that's how the newspapers would define the situation of the moment."
"After all nothing may come of it." There was a suspicion of a sigh in her delivery of the phrase.
"Are you taking what you would call an optimistic view of the matter?" he asked.
She actually flushed again--very slightly--as she said:
"The scientific atmosphere in which I was born forbids optimism or pessimism. I wish to remain neutral."
"I shall make no attempt to bias your judgment one way or another," said he.
Lady Severn returned to the room and gave her daughter her instructions regarding the silks.
"I wish you would let me do it for you, Lady Severn," said Lord Lullworth seriously. "I have to go to Bond Street anyway, and my horse wants exercise." Amber turned round and stared at him; her mother laughed. Then Amber put the patterns of silk into one of his hands, and crying, "Let him do it: he really wants to do it," she ran out of the room.
"I want to have a chat with you, my dear Lady Severn," said he. "It was you who were good enough to ask me to lunch, and yet I've hardly exchanged a word with you."
"Nothing would delight me more," said Lady Severn. "I will intrust you with my commission, but it will do any time in the course of the afternoon. We can have our chat first."
It was while it was in progress Amber was sitting at her desk in the Technical Schoolroom listening to Mr. Owen Glendower's enunciation of the problem in plots which was to serve as an exercise for his pupils. Amber, in her haste to retaliate upon Josephine's secrecy by being absent when she should call, arrived at the class-room several minutes too soon. She had, however, upon a former occasion, made the acquaintance of the earnest American girl whose name was Miss Quartz Mica Hanker--she was said to be worth some ten million (dollars)--and now she had a pleasant little talk with her.