Maud favored the countess with a chilly stare.
Could it be that Mrs. De Lancey Smythe had been whispering tales about the countess in Maud's ears? And had this stupid girl believed what she had heard? Ruth felt her heart thump with the embarrassment of the situation. What was Maud going to say? Strangely enough Madame de Villiers' face held the same look of fear that Ruth's did. Why should Madame de Villiers look frightened instead of angry?
But Maud never uttered the insult her lips were trying to frame. Spoiled and undisciplined child that she was, when she turned her sneering face toward the countess the words suddenly failed her. For the first time Maud felt that money, after all, counted for little. There was something about this plainly dressed woman that suddenly made her feel mean and ashamed. Maud looked deep into the countess's beautiful eyes, then answered with unaccustomed meekness. "Thank you so much. I should like to come to see you."
In the meantime naughty Mollie was taking a slight revenge upon the count.
"You are quite athletic, are you not?" she asked him innocently, her baby blue eyes fastened on his.
"I, athletic?" exclaimed the little count in surprise. "Not very, Mademoiselle. Why do you ask?"
"Because you run so well," Mollie answered, with a far-away look.
"You refer to this morning, I perceive, Mademoiselle," expostulated the count. "I do not swim; therefore I ran for help. But there was no danger. Your sister was never in deep water. Yet it was a most effective scene. Doubtless the young lady will enjoy being a heroine."
Mollie flushed. "Barbara would have been in danger if Marian had not helped to pull her and the child out of the water. And, by the way, Marian does not swim either."
"Ah, Mademoiselle Marian? I saw her later," laughed the count. "How droll was her appearance and that of your sister also."
Mollie heartily disgusted with the little count turned her back on him.
"Get into the motor car, both of you," ordered Miss Sallie firmly.
A few minutes later their automobile reached the entrance to the cocoanut grove.
"Papa, let us stop here and have tea?" asked Ruth.
"A good idea, Ruth," agreed Mr. Stuart, giving the chauffeur the order.
"I am very sorry," interrupted the countess. "But I fear I cannot stop this afternoon."