She had worked the tea-cosey.

It was to her a sonata in red plush.
"Three guineas," said Captain Pratt, by an infallible instinct, perceiving, and placing himself within the focus of general interest.
The bidding ceased instantly.

Lord Newhaven shrugged his shoulders and turned away.

Fraeulein, still shaking with conflicting emotions, handed the tea-cosey to Captain Pratt.

He took it with an acid smile, secretly disgusted at the sudden cessation of interest, for which he had paid rather highly, and looked round for Lady Newhaven.
But she had disappeared.
"Fancy you and Algy bidding against each other like that," said Ada Pratt, archly, to Lord Newhaven, for though Ada was haughty in general society she could be sportive, and even friskily ingratiating, towards those of her fellow-creatures whom she termed "swells." "Why, half Middleshire will be saying that you have quarrelled next." "Only those who do not know how intimate Captain Pratt and I really are could think we have quarrelled," said Lord Newhaven, his eyes wandering over the crowd.