Verney girl. I know it's no use telling you to do the contrary, as I
should if you weren't in your present frame of mind.'

'I should _very_ much like you to meet Eugenia,' said Cecil.

'Yes. How shall we arrange it? A dinner at the Savoy or something?'

'No. Somehow that isn't the kind of thing she'd like,' said Cecil.

'I thought not. But if I suddenly go and call on her, even with you,
wouldn't it make it too much of a family affair? And I should be so
afraid of having the air of trying to persuade her to give you up. I
don't want to make a fool of myself, you know.'

Cecil seemed a little stung, though he smiled.

'If she knew you, perhaps it would make her more interested in me!'

'Do you think she'd come and hear some music here,' said Lord Selsey,
'if I wrote and asked her?'

'Yes, I think she might. There's no nonsense about her--about etiquette
and things of that sort, I mean.'

'Then that's settled. You tell her about it, and I'll write. On Thursday
afternoon. The two young pianists, George Ranger and Nevil Butt, are
coming, and the little girl, the new Russian singer.'

'A juvenile party?' asked Cecil, laughing.