Her own orderly ways were obviously a great
comfort to her employer, and though Lady Conroy turned everything to
chaos as soon as Dulcie had put it straight, still she certainly had a
good effect on things in general. She had a charming sitting-room to
herself, and though she sometimes sighed for the little Chippendale room
with the chintzes, at Jermyn Street, she was on the whole very
contented. Lady Conroy was a delightful companion. She seldom pressed
Dulcie to come down to meals when there were guests. Occasionally she
did so, but so far the only person Dulcie had met more than once was
Valdez, the handsome composer, who was trying so hard, with the help of
Lady Conroy and his War Emergency Concerts, to assist such poor
musicians as were suffering from the war, and at the same time to assert
the value of British music.
Dulcie had been immensely struck by the commanding appearance and manner
of Valdez, known everywhere as a singer, a writer of operas and a
favourite of foreign royalties.
Landi she had often met at Aylmer's, but, privately, she was far more
impressed by Valdez; first, he was English, though, like herself, of
Spanish descent, and then he had none of the _mechancete_ and teasing
wit that made her uncomfortable with Landi.
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