MRS. CROWLEY.
Take care, here she is.
[LUCY _comes in_.
LADY KELSEY.
[_Smiling and reaching out her hand._] Well, darling?
LUCY.
[_Going to_ LADY KELSEY.] Are you growing very tired, my aunt?
LADY KELSEY.
I can rest myself for the time. I don't think any one else will come now.
LUCY.
[_Gaily._] You faithless woman, have you forgotten the guest of the evening?
LADY KELSEY.
Mr. Mackenzie?
LUCY.
[_Bending over her._] My dear, it was charming of you to hide the paper from me this morning....
LADY KELSEY.
[_Startled._] Did you see the letter? I so wanted you not to till to-morrow.
LUCY.
Mr. Mackenzie very rightly thought I should know at once what was said about him and my brother. He sent me the paper himself this evening.
BOULGER.
Did he write to you?
LUCY.
No, he merely scribbled on a card: "I think you should read this."
BOULGER.
Well, I'm damned!
LADY KELSEY.
What did you think of the letter, Lucy?
LUCY.
[_Proudly._] I didn't believe it.
BOULGER.
[_Bitterly._] You must be blinded by your--friendship for Alec Mackenzie. I never read anything more convincing.
LUCY.
I could hardly believe him guilty of such an odious crime if he confessed it with his own lips.
BOULGER.
Of course, he won't do that.
DICK.
Did I ever tell you how I made acquaintance with Alec? In the Atlantic--about three hundred miles from land.
MRS. CROWLEY.
What a perfectly ridiculous place for an introduction.
DICK.
I was a silly young fool in those days, and I habitually played the giddy goat. In the course of which, I fell overboard and was proceeding to drown when Alec jumped in after me. It was an incautious thing to do, because he very nearly got drowned himself.
LUCY.
That's not the only heroic thing he's done.
DICK.
No, it's one of his hobbies to risk his life to save unnecessary and useless people. But the funny thing is that ever since he saved mine, he's been quite absurdly grateful. He seems to think I did him an intentional service and fell into the water on purpose to give him a chance of pulling me out.
LUCY.
[_With a long look at_ DICK.] It's very kind and good of you to have told that story.
[_The_ BUTLER _comes in and announces_ ALEC MACKENZIE.
BUTLER.
Mr. Mackenzie.