Any form of sociability was welcome to him--an impromptu garden-party in Malcolm's honour met with his decided approval.
"David must give us our revenge," he said, chuckling with glee at the idea.

But Malcolm did not respond to this.
He felt inwardly provoked at the whole affair, and regretted that he had promised to remain another day.

Could not Miss Elizabeth have guessed--pshaw! what an ass he was, how was she to know ?--that a motley and miscellaneous collection of people was his distinct aversion! A rustic Olla podrida, an Omnium-gatherum was not to his taste.

It was his last evening too, and he would have to make himself pleasant to strangers.
He knew what these impromptu garden-parties meant.

People drove over from distant villages and expected to remain late.