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Updated: June 3, 2025
At the house they found every one waiting for lunch; Mrs. Almar and Christine chattering together on a window-seat as if they were the most intimate allies; Hickson reading his fourth morning paper, and Mrs. Ussher paying the profoundest attention to something Wickham was saying. She had suddenly wakened to the fact that he was having a wretched time and that he was after all her guest.
"And they say women are envious!" exclaimed his sister. "Are you a feminist, Mrs. Almar?" inquired the irrepressible Wickham. "No, just a female, Mr. Wickham." "I never thought a big bony nose made a man a beauty," grumbled Hickson. "Ah, how much wisdom there is in that reply of yours, Mrs. Almar," said Wickham. "Just a female.
Almar, knowing that her innings were over, very effectively prevented Christine having hers, by insisting on playing bridge. She had an excellent head for cards, and always needed money. Christine allowed herself to be drawn in, supposing that Riatt would be one of the players, and found herself seated opposite to Hickson and next to Jack Ussher.
I am not of a jealous temperament and should always prefer to see a woman happy with another man." "And often do, I dare say," said Nancy. "I have a point of seven, and fourteen aces." "I must own I can't see Riatt's irresistible quality," said Hickson irritably. "Rich, nice-looking and has his wits about him," replied Mrs. Almar succinctly. "About as good-looking as a fence-rail."
Almar, because hers are not artificial, though I have heard her assert sometimes that they are," and turning back to Hickson, who was laboriously trying to carry on a conversation with his host, she interrupted ruthlessly to say, hardly lowering her voice: "Why in the world, Ned, did Nancy bring this Wickham man here? He's perfectly impossible."
"I told you to speak frankly," answered Riatt. "What is it that Mrs. Almar says of Christine?" At first Hickson refused to answer, but the suffering and anxiety he had been undergoing pushed him toward self-expression, and Riatt did not have to be very skilful to extract the whole story.
He consoled himself, however, by the thought that train-time was drawing near, "and then, please heaven," he said to himself, "I need never see any of them again." "Isn't it strange," began Miss Fenimer, and then as a servant appeared in the doorway: "Oh, will you please ask Mrs. Almar to come here for a few minutes and speak to me. Tell her it is very important.
But he told Mrs. Almar a story I could not help hearing I never heard such a story in my life." "I gather it did not shock Mrs. Almar." "She knew it already. 'Lee, she said, 'that story is so old that even my husband knows it, and every one laughed." "I'm afraid you did not enjoy yourself." "I like Mr. Hickson very much. And I thought Miss Fenimer more beautiful than before.
Almar laughed with meaning. "I wonder why that should be," she said. "What do you mean?" Riatt asked, but at that moment they drew up before the Thirty-ninth Street entrance, and the doorman, opening the motor's door, shouted "Ten Forty-five" a cheerful lie he has been telling four times a week for many years. In the opera box, Riatt at once seated himself behind Christine.
Miss Fenimer looked thoughtful. "I was trying to think," she said. "Yes, there was a young artist two years ago that I was rather interested in. He was very nice looking, and Nancy Almar kept telling me how much he was in love with her." "And that stimulated your interest?" "Of course."
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