Cynthia bit deep into a cake.

“I’m rather surprised myself when I look at him,” she said reflectively. “Clever of me to have produced anything so exactly what it ought to be. Nice sentence that.”

Elizabeth was rather horrified at Cynthia’s attitude towards her baby, and was glad that Aunt Anne was not present to hear her.

“I love babies,” she said. “Can I see yours?”

“Certainly, if he won’t bore you,” Cynthia said, with uplifted eyebrows. “Do you really like babies?”

The idea of not liking babies had never occurred to Elizabeth. Aunt Anne was always sentimental when confronted with one, and Elizabeth had unconsciously adopted the same attitude. The adoration of babies was an instinctive enthusiasm that every girl was supposed to have in her. If you didn’t like babies you would either be considered hard and unfeminine, or affected.

“Yes, of course I do,” Elizabeth said, opening her eyes wide.

Stephen watched that innocent look and thought it charming.

“I’m awfully glad to hear you say that,” he told her. “Most modern girls swear they loathe babies. A form of swank, I think.”

“I don’t think I’m really a modern girl,” Elizabeth said wistfully.

“Most girls honestly dislike babies,” said Cynthia trenchantly. “And always have disliked them. The only difference is that nowadays they don’t pretend to like them, whereas fifty years ago they did. I hated them before Christopher appeared upon the scene.” She nodded towards Elizabeth. “You’re an exception to the rule. Stephen, if you’ve finished tea you might go and collect your nephew.”

Stephen departed, and returned presently with Christopher in his arms. He carried the babe in a manner peculiar to his sex, holding him very tightly, with the short frock well rucked up under his arm. Christopher, who was chubby and blue-eyed, grasped a strand of Stephen’s hair, and stared solemnly at Elizabeth.

“What a pet!” Elizabeth cried, and rose, advancing towards him.

Christopher promptly dug his head into Stephen’s shoulder and gave a protesting kick.

“Chuck it!” advised his uncle. “That happens to be me.”

“Is he shy?” Elizabeth asked.

Cynthia rescued Christopher from Stephen’s clutch.

“No, it’s a new accomplishment, that’s all. Sit up, Colombus, and be polite.”

However, Christopher refused to have anything to do with Elizabeth, and made manifest his desire to go back to his uncle. Since he showed a tendency to roar when denied this wish he had his way and sat on Stephen’s knee making sundry pleased but unintelligible remarks.

“I wonder what he sees in you?” said Cynthia. “Funny thing, Miss Arden, but he finds Stephen most fascinating.”

“I can understand his admiration for me,” Stephen answered, dodging to avoid a poke in the eye, “but I wish it would find expression in a less strenuous way. Yes, that’s my tie, young sir, and you needn’t bother to undo it.”

“Quite a family man,” Cynthia remarked.