'An ideal 'Juliet' for Mr. de Vere Smith de Vere,'I said. I told Berengaria what had happened, and she, loving Mr. de Vere Smith de Vere no more, fully entered into the spirit of the thing. It was arranged that for once in her life, at least, Mrs. Tomasino should know what it was to have a 'Romeo.'
Dinner-time came, and with it the guests. Mrs. Tomasino was amongst the first to arrive. She was appalling in tight pink satin. I even felt a passing wave of pity for Mr. de Vere Smith de Vere as I gazed at her. But it quickly fled as that young man swaggered in with his cocksure air. I took round the little silver bowl with the ladies' names in, dropping in 'Juliet' before handing it to Mrs. Tomasino last of all. I saw a pleased look flash across her face as she read it. In a moment the gong sounded. The men were rushing round trying to find their affinities, and leading them off to the dining-room as they found them. Mr. de Vere Smith de Vere sauntered up with his self-satisfied air, pulling 'Romeo' from his waistcoat pocket.
'Juliet, I think,' he said with a killing smile and bow. He crooked his arm to lead me away.
'Steady on there, steady on there,' I said mockingly, 'you must have made a mistake. I'm Mrs. 'Arris.'
Mr. de Vere-Smith-de-Vere's wooden face expressed a mild surprise. It expressed something stronger a moment later.
'Oh, Romeo,' said a harsh and would-be playful
