11
MRS. DEAN liked her rubber of bridge after dinner. But she had to forgo it that night. It appeared that neither Toray nor his daughter played contract and Phyllis announced that she was going to play backgammon with the Vicomte—Stephen, standing aloof, took no part in the discussion. They might have secured Berg or one of the others as a fourth, only the Major and Boldini forestalled them by proposing to Berg a three-handed match at billiards—it seemed there was a billiard-room near their quarters in the so- called garden suite. Verity felt relieved—he did not relish the idea of sitting down to cards with any of the quartet—and suggested a game of cribbage to Mrs. Dean—they had often played together on board the yacht.
Berg and his friends lingered on for a while. They were listening
