Rose uttered her soft, artificial laugh. "She is Sir Eustace Studley's sister. Rather peculiar, I believe, even eccentric. But I understand they are of very good birth."
"That covers a multitude of sins," he commented. "She's been a mighty handsome woman in her day. She must be many years older than Sir Eustace. She looks more like his mother than his sister."
"I believe she is actually younger," Rose said. "They say she has never recovered from the sudden death of her husband some years ago, but I know nothing of the circumstances."
"A very charming woman," said Lady Grace, joining them. "We have had quite a long chat together. Yes, her manner is a little strange, slightly abstracted, as if she were waiting for something or someone. But a very easy companion on the whole. I think you will like her, Rose dear."
"She's dead nuts on Dinah," observed Billy with a chuckle. "She don't look at anyone else when she's got Dinah."
Lady Grace smiled over his head and took no verbal notice of the remark.
"They are a distinguished-looking family," she said. "Run and wash your hands, Billy. Are you thinking of ski-ing this afternoon, Rose?"
"You bet!" murmured Billy, under his breath. He too had seen the distant figure of Sir Eustace on the mountain-side.
"It depends," said Rose, non-committally.
"Captain Brent and Sir Eustace have been on skis all the morning," said her mother. "We must see what they say about it."
Billy spun a coin into the air behind her back. "Heads Sir Eustace and tails Captain Brent," he muttered to the man who had commented upon Isabel's beauty. "Heads it is!"
Lady Grace turned round with a touch of sharpness at the sound of his companion's laugh. "Billy! Did I not tell you to go and wash your hands?"
Billy's green eyes smiled impudent acknowledgment. "You did, Lady Grace. And I'm going. Good-bye!"
He pocketed the coin, winked at his friend, and departed whistling.
"A very unmannerly little boy!" observed Lady Grace, with severity. "Come, my dear Rose! We must go in."
"I don't like either the one or the other," said Rose, with a very unusual touch of petulance. "They are always in the way."
"I fully agree with you," said Lady Grace acidly. "But it is for the first and last time in their lives. I have already told the Colonel so. He will never ask them to accompany us again."