"Tell us about _her_,"
she commanded, giving her brother-in-law a charming smile. But as he
began, rather jerkily, to supply the information asked for, the Princess
looked down at her plate, eating slowly and daintily, as a child eats
when it wishes to make some delicious food last as long as possible. Not
once did she raise her thick, straight eyelashes, as Vanno said that the
girl was a Miss Grant, now staying with the wife of the chaplain at
Monte Carlo. Her first question seemed to have satisfied the Princess'
curiosity, for all those that followed were asked by her husband.
"Miss Grant!" he echoed, deeply interested in his brother's love affair,
though still puzzled by its suddenness, and a little uneasy. He felt
that it would not be well for both the Duke's sons to marry women
unknown socially; and almost unconsciously he was influenced by a
selfish consideration. Vanno was expected to make his, Angelo's, peace
with the father, who worshipped the younger, tolerated the elder, of his
sons. It was Vanno's duty to describe Marie in glowing terms, to induce
the Duke to feel that despite her social unimportance she was a pearl
among women. But if Vanno had his own peace to make, his own pearl to
praise, other interests might suffer. "Miss Grant! It is odd, isn't it,
that we should choose girls of names so much alike? Marie Gaunt,
and--but what is your Miss Grant's Christian name?"
Vanno had to confess ignorance; and this forced him to explain that he
had known Miss Grant for a very short time.
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