Adela reached the house door at the very moment that Mutimer's trap drove up.

She had run nearly all the way down the hill, and her soberer pace during the last ten minutes had not quite reduced the flush in her cheeks.

Mutimer raised his hat with much _aplomb_ before he had pulled up his horse, and his look stayed on her whilst Alfred Waltham was descending and taking leave.
'I was lucky enough to overtake your brother in Agworth,' he said.
'Ah, you have deprived him of what he calls his constitutional,' laughed Adela.
'Have I?
Well, it isn't often I'm here over Saturday, so he can generally feel safe.' The hat was again aired, and Richard drove away to the Wheatsheaf Inn, where he kept his horse at present.
Brother and sister went together into the parlour, where Mrs.Waltham immediately joined them, having descended from an upper room.
'So Mr.Mutimer drove you home!' she exclaimed, with the interest which provincial ladies, lacking scope for their energies, will display in very small incidents.
'Yes.

By the way, I've asked him to come and have dinner with us to-morrow.

He hadn't any special reason for going to town, and was uncertain whether to do so or not, so I thought I might as well have him here.' Mr.Alfred always spoke in a somewhat emphatic first person singular when domestic arrangements were under, discussion; occasionally the habit led to a passing unpleasantness of tone between himself and Mrs.
Waltham.