"Poor little devil! Who looks after her when you and Nick are
off together? Do you mean to tell me Ellie sacked the governess
and went away without having anyone to take her place?"

"I think she expected me to do it," said Susy with a touch of
asperity. There were moments when her duty to Clarissa weighed
on her somewhat heavily; whenever she went off alone with Nick
she was pursued by the vision of a little figure waving wistful
farewells from the balcony.

"Ah, that's like Ellie: you might have known she'd get an
equivalent when she lent you all this. But I don't believe she
thought you'd be so conscientious about it."

Susy considered. "I don't suppose she did; and perhaps I
shouldn't have been, a year ago. But you see"--she hesitated--
"Nick's so awfully good: it's made me look; at a lot of things
differently ...."

"Oh, hang Nick's goodness! It's happiness that's done it, my
dear. You're just one of the people with whom it happens to
agree."

Susy, leaning back, scrutinized between her lashes his crooked
ironic face.

"What is it that's agreeing with you, Streffy? I've never seen
you so human. You must be getting an outrageous price for the
villa."