She lifted her hands to her face and pressed back the masses of fair hair that were tumbling round it, with a gesture of weariness.
"She says she will, but I couldn't make her understand anything I wanted. She is off her head! They all are. By-the-way, did you hear of Madeleine Alcot's. telegram to Worth?"
Kitty laughed--a laugh musical but malicious. Mrs. Alcot, married in the same month as herself, had been her companion and rival from the beginning. They called each other "Kitty" and "Madeleine," and saw each other frequently; why, Lady Tranmore could never discover, unless on the principle that it is best to keep your enemy under observation.
"She telegraphed to Worth as soon as her invitation arrived, 'Envoyez tout de suite costume Vénus. Réponse.' The answer came at dinner--she had a dinner-party--and she read it aloud: 'Remercîments. Il n'y en a pas.' Isn't it delightful?"
"Very neat," said Lady Tranmore, smiling. "When did you invent that? You, I hear, are to be Diana?"
"Ask Fanchette--it depends on her. There is no one but she in London who can do it. Oh, by-the-way, what's Mary going to be? I suppose a Madonna of sorts."
"Not at all," said Lady Tranmore, dryly; "she has chosen a Sir Joshua costume I found for her."
"A vocation missed," said Kitty, shaking her head. "She ought to have been a 'Vestal Virgin' at least.... Do you know that you look _such_ a duck this afternoon!" The speaker put up two small hands and pulled and patted at the black lace strings of Lady Tranmore's hat, which were tied under the delicately wrinkled white of her very distinguished chin.
"This hat suits you so--you are such a _grande dame_ in it. Ah! Je t'adore!"
And Kitty softly took the chin aforesaid into her hands, and dropped a kiss on Lady Tranmore's cheek, which reddened a little under the sudden caress.
"Don't be a goose, Kitty." But Elizabeth Tranmore stooped forward all the same and returned the kiss heartily. "Now tell me what you're going to wear at the Parhams'."
Kitty rose deliberately, went to the bell and rang it.
"You haven't answered my question, Kitty."
"Haven't I?" The butler entered. "Tea, please, Wilson, at once."
Lady Kitty seated herself defiantly a short distance from her mother-in-law and crossed her hands on her lap.