post. … I wonder if you and your sister and sister-in-law and Count Pepoli would come down for a day and lunch or dine with her?"
"I'll find out and telegraph you, or telephone," said Teresa.
He gave her his hotel address, and, with a melancholy look, and a long pressure of the hand, departed.
The meeting was arranged for two days later. Crayven had included Edith in his invitation, though he was ordinarily barely courteous to her. He disliked her, and her sad, melting smiles had impressed him in exactly the opposite way to that designed. He was, of course, not informed of her present circumstances, and therefore her attitude of the pathetic victim was lost upon him. It did not occur to Nina that Edith would want to go and lunch at Montreux. She had played the invalid ever since her nervous attack; appeared not to be able to walk more than a few steps from the house; and declared that because of Egisto's continued silence and his returning her letters unopened, she could not sleep a moment without the aid of drugs. Therefore, Nina was surprised and discomfited when Edith announced her intention of going with the others.
"I can't see how she can want to meet people—strangers—just now, can you?" she said to Teresa. "And I don't want to take her. There's a party of them—we don't know whom we may
