"I kind of fancied the lady didn't mean to be nice to you." Miss Townshead smiled, though there was an ominous brightness in her eyes.

"I scarcely think she would take the trouble to make me feel that," she said.

"Miss Deringham is, I understand, a lady of some importance in the old country." The man once more regarded her with grave kindliness.

"Folks of that kind can be very nasty prettily.

I've met one or two of them.