unless you happen to have been eating heavily buttered muffin, in which case it must all be done with the eyes.”
“I did come to see you,” replied George seriously. “And I am glad to find you alone.”
“Oh, George, this is so sudden,” says she, swallowing a currant.
“I wanted to ask a favour of you. I have always considered you, Virginia, as a woman of considerable charm.”
“Oh, George!”
“And also a woman of intelligence!”
“Not really? How well the man knows me.”
“My dear Virginia, there is a young fellow arriving in England tomorrow whom I should like you to meet.”
“All right, George, but it’s your party—let that be clearly understood.”
“You could, I feel sure, if you chose, exercise your considerable charm.”
Virginia cocked her head a little on one side.
“George, dear, I don’t ‘charm’ as a profession, you know. Often I like people—and then, well, they like me. But I don’t think I could set out in cold blood to fascinate a helpless stranger. That sort of thing isn’t done, George, it really isn’t. There are professional sirens who would do it much better than I should.”
“That is out of the question, Virginia. This young man, he is a Canadian, by the way, of the name of McGrath—”
“A Canadian of Scotch descent,” says she, deducing brilliantly.