He did not wish to be caught by himself in the drawing-room.

But he was caught, for the door suddenly opened, and his mother came in.
Janet Tosswill "paid for dressing" as the old saying is.

She looked charming to-night, in a rather bright blue evening dress, and Timmy, slipping his hand into hers, said softly: "You do look nice, Mum." She smiled, touched and pleased, for her child was not given to compliments.

Also, she had told herself, when glancing at her slim, active figure in the early Victorian cheval glass which had belonged to her husband's mother, that this blue dress was really _very_ old-fashioned, and would probably appear so to Mrs.Crofton.
In view of Timmy's pleasant compliment, she did not like to ask him if he had washed his hands and brushed his hair.

She could only hope for the best: "I hope we shall like Mrs.Crofton," she said meditatively.