The actress was dimpling and smiling, a spice of mischief in her soft blue eyes. She and Mrs. Adams had not omitted to chaff Errington about his involuntary knight-errantry, and the former had even laughingly declared it her firm belief that his journey to town the next day partook more of the nature of flight than anything else. To all of which Errington had submitted composedly, declining to add anything further to his bare statement of the incident of Culver Point--mention of which had been entailed by his unexpected absence from Red Gables that evening. He gave a scarcely perceptible start of surprise as his eyes fell upon Diana, but he betrayed no pleasure at seeing her again. His face showed nothing beyond the polite, impersonal interest which any stranger might exhibit. "I have just missed the pleasure of hearing you sing, I'm afraid," he said, shaking hands. "Have you been back in town long, Miss Quentin?" "No, only a few days," she answered. "I had my first lesson with Signor Baroni the other day, and it was then that I met Miss de Gervais." "At Baroni's?" Diana intercepted a swift glance pass between him and Adrienne. "Yes," said the latter quickly. "I went to rehearse my song in 'The Grey Gown' with him. He was rather crochety that day," she added, smiling. Diana smiled in sympathy. "Well, if he was crochety with you, Miss de Gervais," she observed, "you can perhaps imagine what he was like to me!" "Was he so very bad?" asked Adrienne, laughing. "Every one says his temper is diabolical." "It is," replied Diana, with conviction. "Still," broke in Errington's quiet voice, "I should have thought he would have found it somewhat difficult to be very angry with Miss Quentin." Diana fancied she detected the familiar flavour of irony in the cool tones. "On the contrary, he apparently found it perfectly simple," she retorted sharply. "And yet," interposed Adrienne, "from the panegyrics he indulged in upon the subject of your voice after you had gone, I'm sure he thinks the world of you." "Oh, I'm just a voice to him--nothing more," said Diana. "To be 'just a voice' to Baroni means to be the most important thing on earth," observed Errington. "I believe he would imperil his immortal soul to give a supremely beautiful voice to the world." "Nonsense, Max," protested Adrienne. "You talk as if he were perfectly conscienceless." "So he is, except in so far as art is concerned, and then his conscience assumes the form of sheer idolatry. I believe he would sacrifice anything and anybody for the sake of it." "Well, it's to be hoped you're wrong," said Adrienne, smiling, and again Diana thought she detected a glance of mutual understanding pass between the actress and Max Errington.