At half past seven trays were sent to Mrs. Barres and to Lee; and at eight-thirty they were in the saddle and their horses fetlock deep in morning dew.
Dulcie, sipping her chocolate in bed, marked their departure with sleepy eyes. For the emotions of the night before had told on her, and when a maid came to remove the tray she settled down among her pillows again, blinking unresponsively at the invitation of the sun, which cast over her a fairy net of gold.
Thessalie, in negligée, came in later and sat down on the edge of her bed.
"You sleepy little thing," she said, "the men have breakfasted and are waiting for us on the tennis court."
"I don't know how to play," said Dulcie. "I don't know how to do anything."
"You soon will, if you get up, you sweet little lazy-bones!"
"Do you think I'll ever learn to play tennis and golf and to ride?" inquired Dulcie. "You know how to do everything so well, Thessa."
"Dear child, it's all locked up in you--the ability to do everything--be anything! The only difference between us is that I had the chance to try."
"But I can't even stand on my head," said Dulcie wistfully.
"It's easy. Do you want to see me do it?"
So Thessalie, calmly smiling, rose, cast herself lightly upon her hands, straightened her lithe figure leisurely, until, amid a cataract of tumbling silk and chiffon, her rose silk slippers pointed toward the ceiling. Then, always with graceful deliberation, she brought her feet to the floor, forming an arc with her body; held it a moment, and slowly rose upright, her flushed face half-buried in her loosened hair.
Dulcie, in raptures, climbed out of bed and insisted on immediate instruction. Down on the tennis court, Garry and Westmore heard their peals of laughter and came across the lawn under the window to remonstrate.
"Aren't you ever going to get dressed!" called up Westmore. "If you're going to play doubles with us you'd better get busy, because it's going to be a hot day!"
So Thessalie went away to dress and Dulcie tiptoed into her bath, which the maid had already drawn.
But it was an hour before they appeared on the lawn, cool and fresh in their white skirts and shoes, and found Westmore and Barres, red and drenched, hammering each other across the net in their second furious set.