"How do you do, Captain Selwyn," she said. "I am Eileen Erroll and I am commissioned to give you some tea. Nina and Austin are in the nursery telling bedtime stories and hearing assorted prayers. The children seem to be quite crazy about you--" She unfastened her veil, threw back stole and coat, and, rolling up her gloves on her wrists, seated herself by the table. "--_Quite_ crazy about you," she continued, "and you're to be included in bedtime prayers, I believe--No sugar? Lemon?--Drina's mad about you and threatens to give you her new maltese puppy. I congratulate you on your popularity." "Did you see me in the nursery on all fours?" inquired Selwyn, recognising her bronze-red hair. Unfeigned laughter was his answer. He laughed, too, not very heartily. "My first glimpse of our legendary nursery warrior was certainly astonishing," she said, looking around at him with frank malice. Then, quickly: "But you don't mind, do you? It's all in the family, of course." "Of course," he agreed with good grace; "no use to pretend dignity here; you all see through me in a few moments." She had given him his tea. Now she sat upright in her chair, smiling, _distraite_, her hat casting a luminous shadow across her eyes; the fluffy furs, fallen from throat and shoulder, settled loosely around her waist. Glancing up from her short reverie she encountered his curious gaze. "To-night is to be my first dinner dance, you know," she said. Faint tints of excitement stained her white skin; the vivid scarlet contrast of her mouth was almost startling. "On Thursday I was introduced--" she explained, "and now I'm to have the gayest winter I ever dreamed of. . . . And I'm going to leave you in a moment if Nina doesn't hurry and come. Do you mind?" "Of course I mind," he protested amiably, "but I suppose you wish to devote several hours to dressing." She nodded. "Such a dream of a gown! Nina's present! You'll see it. I hope Gerald will be here to see it. He promised. You'll say you like it if you do like it, won't you?" "I'll say it, anyway." "Oh, well--if you are contented to be commonplace like other men--" "I've no ambition to be different at my age." "Your age?" she repeated, looking up quickly. "You are as young as Nina, aren't you? Half the men in the younger set are no younger than you--and you know it," she concluded--"you are only trying to make me say so--and you've succeeded. I'm not very experienced yet. Does tea bring wisdom, Captain Selwyn?" pouring herself a cup. "I'd better arm myself immediately." She sank back into the depths of the chair, looking gaily at him over her lifted cup. "To my rapid education in worldly wisdom!" She nodded, and sipped the tea almost pensively.