Not scorching, you know; that's weak-minded." Lady Ogram seemed to be reflecting as to whether she was glad or not that her relative rode the bicycle.

She asked whether May had brought her machine.
"No," was the airy reply, "I'm not a slave to it." The other nodded approval, and watched May as she manipulated a tea-cup.

Talk ran on trivialities for a while; the new-comer still cast curious glances about the room, and at moments stole a quick observation of her companions.

She was not entirely at ease; self-consciousness appeared in a furtive change of attitude from time to time; it might have been remarked, too, that she kept a guard upon her phrasing and even her pronunciation, emphasising certain words with a sort of academic pedantry.

Perhaps it was this which caused Lady Ogram to ask at length whether she still worked for examinations.
"No, I have quite given that up," May replied, with an air of well-weighed finality.