He was interested in them in a curious new fashion;
they seemed to say things to him. His lip curled
once at the conceit that he was one of the Alps himself.
CHAPTER XII
IT did not happen until three days later that Thorpe's
opportunity to speak alone with Lady Cressage came.
In this brief period, the two parties seemed to have
become fused in a remarkable intimacy. This was
clearly due to the presence of the young people,
and Thorpe congratulated himself many times each day
upon the striking prescience he had shown in bringing them.
Both the ladies unaffectedly liked Julia; so much so
that they seemed unwilling to make any plans which did
not include her. Then it was only a matter of course
that where she went her brother should go--and a further
logical step quite naturally brought in their willing uncle.
If he had planned everything, and now was ordering everything,
it could not have gone more to his liking.
Certain side speculations lent a savour to the satisfaction
with which he viewed this state of affairs. He found many
little signs to confirm the suspicion that the two ladies
had been the readier to make much of Julia because they
were not overkeen about each other's society. The bright,
sweet-natured girl had come as a welcome diversion
to a couple who in seclusion did battle with tendencies
to yawn.
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