"Of course I do," Lord Ronald answered. "It's too hot for town, and
I'm rather great on rusticating, myself."

"I think this is charming," the Princess declared. "Here we have one
of our friends with a car and another with a house. But seriously,
Cecil, we mustn't think of coming to you. There would be too many of
us."

"The more the better," Cecil said eagerly. "If you really want to
attempt anything in the shape of a rest-cure, I can recommend my
home thoroughly. I am afraid," he added, with a shrug of the
shoulders, "that I cannot recommend it for anything else."

"A rest," the Princess declared, "is exactly what we want. Life here
is becoming altogether too strenuous. We started the season a little
early. I am perfectly certain that we could not possibly last till
the end. Until I arrived in London with an heiress under my charge,
I had no idea that I was such a popular person."

The girl who was sitting on the other side of their host spoke
almost for the first time. She was evidently quite young, and her
pale cheeks, dark full eyes, and occasional gestures, indicated
clearly enough something foreign in her nationality. She addressed
no one in particular, but she looked toward Forrest.

"That is one of the things," she said, "which puzzles me. I do not
understand it at all. It seems as though every one is liked or
disliked, here in London at any rate, according to the amount of
money they have."