If Shiela noticed the quick changes in his face she did not appear to, nor the curious glance that Virginia cast at him. "_So_ sorry," said Miss Suydam again, "for if you are going to be so much engaged to-day you will no doubt also miss the tea for that pretty Mrs. Ascott." "No," said Shiela, "I wouldn't think of missing that." And carelessly to Hamil: "As you and I have nothing on hand to-day, I'll take you over to meet Mrs. Ascott if you like." Which was a notice to Virginia that Miss Cardross had declined her luncheon from deliberate disinclination. Hamil, vaguely conscious that all was not as agreeable as the surface of things indicated, said cordially that he'd be very glad to go anywhere with Shiela to meet anybody, adding to Virginia that he'd heard of Mrs. Ascott but could not remember when or where. "Probably you've heard of her often enough from Louis Malcourt," said Virginia. "He and I were just recalling his frenzied devotion to her in the Adirondacks; that," she added smilingly to Shiela, "was before Mrs. Ascott got her divorce from her miserable little French count and resumed her own name. She was the most engaging creature when Mr. Malcourt and I met her two years ago." Shiela, who had been listening with head partly averted and grave eyes following the antics of the divers in the pool, turned slowly and encountered Virginia's smile with a straight, cold gaze of utter distrust. Nothing was said for a moment; then Virginia spoke smilingly again to Hamil concerning his aunt's uneasiness, turned toward Shiela, exchanged formal adieux with her, and walked on toward her dressing-room and shower. Hamil and Miss Cardross turned the other way. When Shiela was seated in her double wheel-chair with Hamil beside her, she looked up through her veil unsmiling into his serious face. "Did you notice anything particularly impertinent in Miss Suydam's question?" she asked quietly. "What question?" "When she asked me whether I was Miss Cardross." The slow colour again burned his bronzed skin. He made no reply, nor did she await any after a silent consideration of his troubled face. "Where did you hear about me?" she asked. She had partly turned in her seat, resting both gloved hands on the crook of her folded sunshade, and leaning a little toward him. "Don't ask me," he said; "whatever I heard I heard unwillingly--" "You _have_ heard?" He did not answer. The remainder of the journey was passed in silence. On the road they met Mrs. Cardross and Jessie Carrick driving to a luncheon; later, Gray passed in his motor with his father. "I have an idea that you and I are to lunch alone," said Hamil as they reached the house; and so it turned out, for Malcourt was going off with Portlaw somewhere and Cecile was dressing for Virginia's luncheon. "Did you care to go with me to the Ascott-O'Hara function?" asked Shiela, pausing on the terrace. Her voice was listless, her face devoid of animation.