Lady Manorwater prattled about the day's events, and Lord Manorwater, hopelessly bored, ate his food in silence.

The lively Bertha had gone to bed with a headache, and the younger Miss Afflint was the receptacle for the moment of her hostess's confidences.

Alice sat between Mr.Stocks and Arthur, facing a tall man with a small head and immaculate hair who had ridden over to dine and sleep.

One of the two had the wisdom to see her humour and keep silent, though the thought plunged him into a sea of ugly reflections.

It would be hard if, now that things were going well with him, the lady alone should prove obdurate.