"I know," she said. "This shocking news is all so fresh. But, obviously, I cannot assist my friends by becoming a recluse, can I? We won't speak of the subject, if you don't mind. It is sufficiently painful to make the discussion of it depressing. My sympathy with Mrs Smythe is great. She is very fond of her cousin, and feels this deeply. And I am very fond of her... Sit here--will you?--with your back to the light. It's more restful." Julie sat down wondering. She was beginning to reconstruct her ideas. There was nothing in Mrs Lawless' manner to bear out the supposition that she was in love with Van Bleit. She did not suspect that Mrs Lawless was intentionally correcting her error, nor did she guess how her assumption of the truth of the common report embarrassed her hostess. This ugly misapprehension had struck at her on three separate occasions that day. It was strange that she had not realised before the construction that might be put on her friendship with Van Bleit. She wondered whether Lawless had shared the same belief. And then she remembered how in her first interview with him he had warned her against the man. Why, if he was so entirely indifferent, need he have concerned himself about her acquaintance? She looked up suddenly and surprised Julie's inquisitive eyes studying her intently. The girl smiled. "It's awfully sweet of you to have asked me to come and see you," she said. "I've wanted to know you--oh! for ever so long." "Why?" "I don't know--unless it is because you are so beautiful. Women do admire other women whatever's said to the contrary. I've watched you motoring past our house... I saw you pass this morning." She did not add that she had thought how sad she looked. "Yes," Mrs Lawless answered. "I went to see Mrs Smythe. If my thoughts had not been so occupied with other matters I would have stopped and driven you out with me then. It's rather selfish to let you cycle out here when I have a car." "Oh no!" Julie contradicted eagerly. "I make nothing of this journey." "Nevertheless, I shall drive you next time. I want you to come out often. You play tennis, of course? There is a beautiful lawn there-- wasting... Nobody plays on it." She pointed through the window to a stretch of green sward which the Hottentot gardener kept surreptitiously watered during the dry season, so that whatever else suffered from the long droughts the grass was always green. "I should like that," Julie said. "Do you play?" "Not much. I'm a lazy person. But I have thought I should like to get a few young people out for a game occasionally. I enjoy looking on. If you would bring Mr Bolitho, I could manage to make up the numbers."