Page:The Yellow Book - 07.djvu/194

 fan lay upon her lap. She was apparently gazing straight before her, though her masses of rippling hair partly concealed her face from the Yeos.

"Who is she?"

"Why, you remember. That Miss Verrol who used to be Cecily's companion."

"I thought she went to America, or New Zealand, or somewhere?"

"So she did, but Lady Fairfield had to come home when her father died, you know, and she brought Miss Verrol with her. I believe she's living in town with them now as governess, or secretary, or something; but she's always at the Margraves', I hear." Mrs. Yeo gave vent to an untranslatable little exclamation of disgust.

"But why?" asked her husband. He alluded to the ejaculation.

"My dear Jim! Can't you see? Look at them!"

The lights were lowered at the moment, and the curtain rose on the last act.

When it was over, and Mrs. Yeo had collected her wraps, she turned to glance once more at the Margraves' box, but it was empty.

Down in the brightly lighted vestibule, however, when at length they reached it, she saw Cecily again.

She was standing a little out of the crush, beside one of the great doors. Her husband was wrapping a white cloak round Miss Verrol. She said something to him, with an upward glance as he did so, and they both laughed. Cecily, who stood patiently waiting at her side, shivered a little at the moment, yet Mrs. Yeo fancied she did not feel the cold. As she passed her in the doorway, their eyes met.

For