'Perhaps it's because he thinks I look Spanish. He may disapprove of
looking Spanish,' suggested Hyacinth.

'Very likely.'

Hyacinth laughed, kissed her, and went out. Anne followed her graceful
figure with disapproving, admiring eyes.




CHAPTER II


The Anxieties of Sir Charles


Like all really uncommon beauties, Hyacinth could only be adequately
described by the most hackneyed phrases. Her eyes were authentically
sapphire-coloured; brilliant, frank eyes, with a subtle mischief in
them, softened by the most conciliating long eyelashes. Then, her mouth
was really shaped like a Cupid's bow, and her teeth _were_ dazzling;
also she had a wealth of dense, soft, brown hair and a tall, sylphlike,
slimly-rounded figure. Her features were delicately regular, and her
hands and feet perfection. Her complexion was extremely fair, so she was
not a brunette; some remote Spanish ancestor on her mother's side was,
however, occasionally mentioned as an apology for a type and a supple
grace sometimes complained of by people with white eyelashes as rather
un-English. So many artistic young men had told her she was like La