Di. Did I keep you waiting?"

"If you had, it wouldn't be me, but Delia, to whom you'd have to
apologize. She's the real head of the house, you know."

Justin took Bettina out, Anthony took Sophie, and one of the married men
Diana. At the table Bettina sat between the other married man and
Justin, much to her discomfort, for she craved the seat next to the
doctor, where perchance she might slip her fingers into his; he seemed
so far away, and they were all strangers.

But no one could be shy with Justin. "Of course we're going to be great
friends," he said.

Bettina eyed him doubtfully.

"Why?" she asked.

Here at least was no meek surrender to his charms, and Justin girded
himself for the flirtation.

"Well, I'm Diana's friend," he ventured.

"Yes?"

"Isn't that reason enough?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"I like to choose my friends for myself."

"Won't you choose me?"

She smiled up at him. "Of course; don't be silly."

After that they got on famously. Justin exerted himself to please, and
Bettina, with shining eyes, laughed softly in response to his clever
wit.

Sara Duffield watched and wondered. Justin had of late seemed her
especial property. Yet she had heard him offer to take this strange
young woman in his aeroplane, and he had never taken Sara.

"Who is she?" Sara asked of Bobbie, who was next to her.

"A friend of Diana's. She has been looking after her sick mother for a
year. Then Mrs. Dolce died, and Diana asked the girl here. She's a
beauty, isn't she?"

"Yes," said Sara, who, in certain shimmering greens and blues, looked
like a shining little peacock, an effect which was further emphasized by
a slender feather caught by an emerald which she wore in her black hair.
"Where did she live before she came to Diana?"

"In the top of the Lane mansion."

"The Lane mansion." Sara's tone was scornful. "But it's an awful old
place----"

"I fancy they didn't have much money. But she doesn't need it, not with
that face."

"Doris had better look out," said Sara, unpleasantly.

"Doris?" Bobbie's round young face grew red. "Doris is the last one,
Sara, and there won't be any other. You and Justin can just let that
subject alone."

Sara shrugged her shoulders, and returned to her survey of Bettina. "I
wonder where she got that stunning gown, if she's so poor. It's straight
from Paris."

"Oh, you women," Bobbie exploded, and rested his eyes on Doris, across
the table, and the thought of her