The opening of the door was lost on Lucia, and Peppino's eyes were
closed. Consequently Georgie sat down on the nearest chair, and waited.
At the end Peppino sighed, and he sighed too.
"Who is that?" said Lucia sharply. "Why is it you, Georgie? What a
stranger. Aren't you? Any news?"
This was all delivered in the coldest of tones, and Lucia snatched a
morsel of wax off Eb.
"I've heard none," said Georgie in great discomfort. "I just dropped
in."
Lucia fixed Peppino with a glance. If she had shouted at the top of her
voice she could not have conveyed more unmistakably that she was going
to manage this situation.
"Ah, that is very pleasant," she said. "Peppino and I have been so busy
lately that we have seen nobody. We are quite country-cousins, and so
the town-mouse must spare us a little cheese. How is dear Miss Bracely
now?"
"Very well," said Georgie. "I saw her this morning."
Lucia gave a sigh of relief.
"That is good," she said. "Peppino, do you hear? Miss Bracely is quite
well. Not overtired with practising that new opera? Lucy Grecian, was
it? Oh, how silly I am! Lucretia; that was it, by that extraordinary
Neapolitan. Yes. And what next? Our good Mrs Weston, now! Still
thinking about her nice young man? Making orange-flower wreaths, and
choosing bridesmaids? How naughty I am! Yes. And then dear Daisy? How
is she? Still entertaining princesses? I look in the Court Circular
every morning to see if Princess Pop--Pop--Popoff isn't it? if Princess
Popoff has popped off to see her cousin the Czar again.
Pages:
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309