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Her mother followed with stately leisure, regardless of a wind-flung dash of sleet on her sealskins. Having been relieved of their furs, the callers were shown to the drawing-room. As the footman glided away to inform his mistress of their arrival, Dolores danced across to the door of the rear drawing- room and called in a clear, full-throated, contralto voice: "Ho, Vievie! Vievie! You in here?
A coronet would fit my head just as well as Vievie's. But mamma is so silly. She never thought of that." Blake stared in surprise. "You don't mean ?" "Mamma has been so busy saving Vievie from you, she's not had time to consider me." "Say," exclaimed Blake, "I've half a notion you do like him. That would account for the way you keep at him with your nagging and teasing." "You don't say!" "Yes.
"I shall not ruin my life," replied Genevieve, with a quiet firmness that brought a profound sigh of relief from her aunt. "A-a-h! My dear child! Then you at last realize what sort of a man he is." "Vievie knows he is a man which is more than can be said of some of them," thrust Dolores, with a mocking glance at Lord James. "My dear," urged Mrs. Gantry, "give no heed to that silly chit.
Mrs. Gantry raised a plump hand, palm outward. "Between the two of you " "We know Mr. Blake the real man. You do not." "I never shall. I will not receive him never. He is impossible!" "What! never? the man who saved me from starvation, fever, wild beasts, from all the horrors of that savage coast? the intimate friend of the Earl of Avondale?" "Does he paint, Vievie?" called Dolores.
Dolores flung herself across the room and into a chair facing her mother and Lord James. "Did you see that?" she demanded. "I do believe Vievie is the coldest blooded creature! When she knows he's just dying for love of her! Why, I never " "That will do!" interrupted Mrs. Gantry. "I'll leave it to Lord Avondale. Isn't it the exact truth?" "Er he still looks rather robust," parried Lord James.
"Of a real live earl and a real hero, with Laffie Ashton thrown in for good I mean, bad measure!" cut in Dolores with enthusiasm. "You know, I asked Vievie to 'put him on her list, else he never may be kissed!" Again Mrs. Gantry raised her lorgnette to transfix her daughter with her cold stare. "You asked her to invite Lafayette Ashton? And you know his reputation!" "Of course.
I must I want to " "To play puss-in-the-corner with your Tom," rallied Dolores. "Oh, Vievie! who'd have thought it? You've lost your head! Hide over here behind the stove." Greatly to her surprise, Genevieve instantly ran over and hid herself in the corner behind the big stove. Dolores and Lord James stared at one another. It was the first time that they had ever seen Genevieve flurried.
The girl sauntered down towards the arched opening into the rear drawing-room. As she passed the others, she paused to pat her cousin's soft brown hair. "I do believe the sun has burnt it a shade lighter, Vievie," she remarked. "What fun it must have been! When are you going to show me that leopard-skin gown?" "Leave the room this instant!" commanded Mrs. Gantry.
"So you d don't consider me a friend!" retorted Dolores, vainly striving to hide her grief under a scornful tone. "Miss Gantry!" he exclaimed. "Is it you?" "It's not Vievie, that's certain. The sooner you run along and mind your business, the better." "Miss Dolores, I I really can't see why you hold such a dislike to me. I'll go immediately. I hadn't the remotest idea of intruding.
Dolores stared at him with dilating eyes. "Jimmy!" she whispered. "It can't be you mean that you that you ?" "Yes," he answered. "Pardon me for saying anything about it. I shall not bother you again." "Oh, thank you!" she scoffed. "So now you're going to stay quiet and wait for Vievie to fling herself into your arms when she hears about your rival."
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