Sir Rowland shrugged and turned half from her to her listening cousin.

When all is said, poor Diana appears--despite her cunning--to have been short-sighted.

Aiming at a defined advantage in the game she played, she either ignored or held too lightly the concomitant disadvantage of vexing Blake.
"It were perhaps best to tell us the exact words he used, Sir Rowland," she suggested, "that for ourselves we may judge how far he lacked respect." "What signify the words!" cried Blake, now almost out of temper.
"I don't recall them.

It is the air with which he pledged Mistress Westmacott." "Ah yes--the manner," quoth Diana irritatingly.

"We'll let that be.
Richard threw his wine in Mr.Wilding's face?
What followed then?
What said Mr.Wilding ?" Sir Rowland remembered what Mr.Wilding had said, and bethought him that it were impolitic in him to repeat it.