LADY FREDERICK.
Now what are you talking about? If you hadn"t come to see me I should never have forgiven you.
MADAME CLAUDE.
I wanted to have a little talk with your ladyship.
LADY FREDERICK.
Oh, but I hope we shall have many little talks. Have you brought your motor down?
MADAME CLAUDE.
Yes.
LADY FREDERICK.
That"s charming. You shall take me for a drive in it every day. I hope you"re going to stay some time.
MADAME CLAUDE.
That depends on circ.u.mstances, Lady Frederick. I "ave a little business to do here.
LADY FREDERICK.
Then let me give you one warning--don"t gamble.
MADAME CLAUDE.
Oh, no, my lady. I gamble quite enough in my business as it is. I never know when my customers will pay their bills--if ever.
LADY FREDERICK.
[_Slightly taken aback._] Ha, ha, ha.
FOULDES.
[_With a deep guffaw._] Ho, ho, ho.
LADY FREDERICK.
Isn"t she clever? I must tell that to the Archd.u.c.h.ess. She"ll be so amused. Ha, ha, ha, ha. The dear Archd.u.c.h.ess, you know she loves a little joke. You must really meet her. Will you come and lunch? I know you"d hit it off together.
MADAME CLAUDE.
[_More genially._] That"s very kind of your ladyship.
LADY FREDERICK.
My dear, you know perfectly well that I"ve always looked upon you as one of my best friends. Now who shall we have? There"s you and me and the Archd.u.c.h.ess. Then I"ll ask Lord Mereston.
MADAME CLAUDE.
The Marquess of Mereston, Lady Frederick?
LADY FREDERICK.
Yes. And Mr. Fouldes, his uncle.
MADAME CLAUDE.
Excuse me, are you the Mr. Paradine Fouldes?
FOULDES.
[_Bowing._] At your service, madam.
MADAME CLAUDE.
I"m so glad to make your acquaintance, Mr. Fouldes. [_Unctuously._] I"ve always heard you"re such a bad man.
FOULDES.
Madam, you overwhelm me with confusion.
MADAME CLAUDE.
Believe me, Mr. Fouldes, it"s not the ladies that are married to saints who take the trouble to dress well.
LADY FREDERICK.
Now we want a third man. Shall we ask my brother--you know Sir Gerald O"Mara, don"t you? Or shall we ask Prince Doniani? Yes, I think we"ll ask the Prince. I"m sure you"d like him. Such a handsome man! That"ll make six.
MADAME CLAUDE.
It"s very kind of you, Lady Frederick, but--well, I"m only a tradeswoman, you know.
LADY FREDERICK.
A tradeswoman? How can you talk such nonsense. You are an artist--a real artist, my dear. And an artist is fit to meet a king.
MADAME CLAUDE.
Well, I don"t deny that I"d be ashamed to dress my customers in the gowns I see painted at the Royal Academy.
LADY FREDERICK.
Then it"s quite settled, isn"t it, Madame Claude--oh, may I call you Ada?