While the others of the company were shaking off their embarrassment, she was sinking deeper into hers.
"Colonel Luttrell has not come yet.

Nor--nor--the other guest who completes our party." Her voice trailed off lamentably into a plea for kind treatment and gentleness.

Here was Millie Splay's second preoccupation.

As it was Sir Chichester's passion to see his name printed in the papers, so it was Millie's to gather in the personages of the moment under her roof.

She had promised that this party should be just a small one of old friends with Luttrell as the only new-comer.