Miss Bart went on writing in silence, and her hostess sat following her train of thought with frowning intensity.
“Do you know,” she exclaimed after a long pause, “I believe I’ll call up Lawrence on the telephone and tell him he simply MUST come?”
“Oh, don’t,” said Lily, with a quick suffusion of colour. The blush surprised her almost as much as it did her hostess, who, though not commonly observant of facial changes, sat staring at her with puzzled eyes.
“Good gracious, Lily, how handsome you are! Why? Do you dislike him so much?”
“Not at all; I like him. But if you are actuated by the benevolent intention of protecting me from Bertha — I don’t think I need your protection.”
Mrs. Trenor sat up with an exclamation. “Lily! —— PERCY? Do you mean to say you’ve actually done it?”
Miss Ba
