“Freddy has told us. Naughty Cecil! I suppose I must forgive you. Just think of all the trouble I took for nothing! Certainly the Miss Alans are a little tiresome, and I'd rather have nice friends of yours. But you oughtn't to tease one so.”

“Friends of mine?” he laughed. “But, Lucy, the whole joke is to come! Come here.” But she remained standing where she was. “Do you know where I met these desirable tenants? In the National Gallery, when I was up to see my mother last week.”

“What an odd place to meet people!” she said nervously. “I don't quite understand.”

“In the Umbrian Room. Absolute strangers. They were admiring Luca Signorelli — of course, quite stupidly. However, we got talking, and they refreshed me not —