III
Left with her friend, Lady Grace had a prompt question. "Lord John warned me he was 'funny'—but you already know him?"
There might have been a sense of embarrassment in the way in which, as to gain time, Lady Sandgate pointed, instead of answering, to the small picture pronounced upon by Mr. Bender. "He thinks your little Cuyp a fraud."
"That one?" Lady Grace could but stare. "The wretch!" However, she made, without alarm, no more of it; she returned to her previous question. "You've met him before?"
"Just a little—in town. Being 'after pictures'" Lady Sandgate explained, "he has been after my great-grandmother."
"She," said Lady Grace with amusement, "must have found him funny! But he can clearly take care of himself, while Kitty takes care of Lord John, and while you, if you'll
