So far as she knew, Sebastian had never told a lie. To Mrs. Coburn,
Sebastian was Saint Sebastian.
The portrait was finished before Mrs. Coburn left. She liked
everything about it except the gown, the drapery and--yes, the
hands. They were too long and tapering. No Gooch ever had a hand
like that. The Gooch hands were broad and strong: like her own.
All this, notwithstanding the fact that Sara's hand lay exposed all
the time she was speaking, a physical contradiction to her assertion.
She stayed the month and then re-entered Yonkers.
There were no letters from Hetty, no word of any description. If
Sara knew anything of the girl's movements she did not take Booth
into her confidence.
Leslie Wrandall went abroad in August, ostensibly to attend the
aviation meets in France and England. His mother and sister sailed
in September, but not before the entire colony of which they were
a part had begun to discuss Sara and Booth with a relish that was
obviously distasteful to the Wrandalls.
Where there is smoke there is fire, said all the gossips, and
forthwith proceeded to carry fagots.
A week or so before sailing, Mrs. Redmond Wrandall had Booth
in for dinner. I think she said en famille. At any rate, Sara was
not asked, which is proof enough that she was bent on making it a
family affair.
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