"I will if I can. What am I to say?"

"Have you nothing to say?" she asked, smiling; "it need not be very
civil, you know--as long as nobody hears you."

To school his features for the deception of others, to school his voice
and manner and at the same time look smilingly into the grave of his
youth and hope called for the sort of self-command foreign to his
character. Glancing at him under her smoothly fitted mask of amiability,
she slowly grew afraid of the situation--but not of her ability to
sustain her own part.

They exchanged a few meaningless phrases, then she resolutely took young
Innis away from Rosamund Fane, leaving Selwyn to count the bubbles in
his wine-glass.

But in a few moments, whether by accident or deliberate design, Rosamund
interfered again, and Mrs. Ruthven was confronted with the choice of a
squabble for possession of young Innis, of conspicuous silence, or of
resuming once more with Selwyn. And she chose the last resort.

"You are living in town?" she asked pleasantly.

"Yes."

"Of course; I forgot. I met a man last night who said you had entered
the firm of Neergard & Co."

"I have. Who was the man?"