Love at Second Sight | Page 5

your memory. You don't remember the name of the book.'
'Pardon me, it's not a question of remembering the name; that would be
nothing. Anyone can forget a name. That wouldn't matter.'
'Oh, then, you mean you don't even know in the least what you want?'
At this moment Bruce decided it was time to find the book, and
suddenly sprang, like a middle-aged fawn, at the writing-table, seizing
a volume triumphantly.
'There it is--the whole time!' he said, 'staring at you while you are
helplessly looking for it. Oh, Edith, Edith!' he laughed amiably. 'How
like a woman that is! And the very book a few inches from your hand!
Well, well, never mind; it's found at last. I hope, dear, in the future you
will be more careful. We'll say no more about it now.'
Edith didn't point out to Bruce that the book was a novel; that it was
blue; that it belonged to the library, was French, and that it was still
suitable for the children.
'Well, well,' he said, sitting down with the book, which he had never
wanted at all, and had never even thought of when he came to the room
first, 'well, well, here it is! And now for the point I was going to tell
you when I came in.'
'Shall we have tea, dear?' said Edith.
'Tea? Oh, surely not. It's only just four. I don't think it's good for the
servants having tea half-an-hour earlier than usual. It's a little
thing--yes, I know that, but I don't believe in it. I like punctuality,
regularity--oh, well, of course, dear, if you wish it.'

'No, I don't at all! I thought you might.'
'Oh no. I like punctuality, er--and, as a matter of fact, I had tea at the
club.'
Laughing, Edith rang the bell.
Bruce lighted a cigarette, first, with his usual courtesy, asking her
permission.
'I'll tell you about that when Woodhouse has gone,' he said
mysteriously.
'Oh, can't you tell me anything about it now? I wouldn't have ordered
tea if I'd known that!'
He enjoyed keeping her waiting, and was delighted at her interest. He
would have made it last longer, but was unable to bear his own
suspense; so he said:
'Before I say any more, tell me: where is Madame Frabelle?'
CHAPTER III
'Madame Frabelle's in her own room. She stays there a good deal, you
know. I fancy she does it out of tactfulness.' Edith spoke thoughtfully.
'What does she do there?' Bruce asked with low-toned curiosity, as he
stood up and looked in the glass.
'She says she goes there to read. She thinks it bores people to see a
visitor sitting reading about the house; she says it makes them get tired
of the sight of her.'
'But she can't be reading all those hours, surely?' and Bruce sat down,
satisfied with his appearance.
'One would think not. I used to think she was probably lying on the
sofa with cold cream on her face, or something of that sort. But she

doesn't. Once I went in,' Edith smiled, 'and found her doing Swedish
exercises.'
'Good heavens! What a wonderful woman she is! Do you mean to say
she's learning Swedish, as well as all the other languages she knows?'
'No, no. I mean physical exercises. But go on, Bruce. I'm getting so
impatient.'
Bruce settled himself down comfortably, blew a ring of smoke, and
then began slowly:
'I never dreamt, Edith--'
'Oh, Bruce, are you going to tell me everything you never dreamt? We
shall take weeks getting to the point.'
'Don't be absurd. I'll get to the point at once then. Look here; I think we
ought to give a dinner for Madame Frabelle!'
'Oh, is that all? Of course! I've been wondering that you didn't wish to
do it long before now.'
'Have you? I'll tell you why. Thinking Madame Frabelle was a pal,
er--a friend--of the Conroys, it stood to reason, don't you see, that she
knew everyone in London; or could, if she liked--everyone worth
knowing, I mean. Under these circumstances there was no point
in--well--in showing off our friends to her. But I found out, only last
night'--he lowered his voice--'what do you think? She isn't an intimate
friend of Lady Conroy's at all! She only made her acquaintance in the
drawing-room of the Royal Hotel two days before she came to
London!'
Edith laughed.
'How delightful! Then why on earth did Lady Conroy send her to us
with a letter of introduction? Why just us?'
'Because she likes you. Besides, it's just like her, isn't it? And she never

said she had known her all her life. We jumped to that conclusion. It
was our own idea.'
'And how did you find it out?'
'Why, when you went