'I have kept you waiting,' said Siegmund.

'Well, I was reading, you see.' She would not admit her impatience.

'I have been talking,' he said.

'Talking!' she exclaimed in slight displeasure. 'Have you found an
acquaintance even here?' 'A fellow who was quite close friends in Savoy days; he made me feel
queer-sort of _Doppelgänger_, he was.' Helena glanced up swiftly and curiously.

'In what way?' she said.

'He talked all the skeletons in the cupboard-such piffle it seems, now!
The sea is like a harebell, and there are two battleships lying in the
bay. You can hear the voices of the men on deck distinctly. Well, have
you made the plans for today?' They went into the house to breakfast. She watched him helping himself
to the scarlet and green salad.

'Mrs Curtiss,' she said, in rather reedy tone, 'has been very motherly
to me this morning; oh, very motherly!' Siegmund, who was in a warm, gay mood, shrank up.

'What, has she been saying something about last night?' he asked.

'She was very much concerned for me-was afraid something dreadful had
happened,' continued Helena, in the same keen, sarcastic tone, which
showed she was trying to rid herself of her own mortification.

'Because we weren't in till about eleven?' said Siegmund, also with
sarcasm.

'I mustn't do it again. Oh no, I mustn't do it again, really.' 'For fear of alarming the old lady?' he asked.