"Ivor was just talking to me of her. You know he calls me his 'pal,' and
tells me things he doesn't tell everybody. He thinks a great deal about
Maxine, still."

"She'd be a difficult woman to forget, if she's as attractive off the
stage as she is on."

"What a pity we didn't come in time to meet here when she was playing in
London with George Allendale. Everybody used to invite her to their
houses, it seems. Ivor was telling me that he first met her here, and
that it's such a pleasant memory, whenever he comes to this house. I
suppose that's one reason he likes to come so much."

"No doubt," said Di sharply.

"He got so fascinated talking of her," I went on. "He almost forgot that
he had a dance with Mrs. Allendale. Of course Maxine had made a great
hit, and all that; but she didn't stand quite as high as she does now,
since she's become the fashion in Paris. Perhaps she had nothing except
her salary, then, whereas she must have saved up a lot of money by this
time. I have an idea that Ivor would have proposed to her when she was
in London if he'd thought her success established."

"Nonsense!" Di broke out, her cheeks very pink. "As if Ivor were the
kind of man to think of such a thing!"

"He isn't very rich, and he is very ambitious. It would be bad for him
to marry a poor girl, or a girl who wasn't well connected socially. He
_has_ to think of such things."