She dressed as if she had looted a milliner's shop and had put on in a great hurry anything that came to hand. She towered over her sister-in-law as she kissed her, and Petsy, safe in her citadel, barked shrilly.

"My dear, which is the blue room?" she said. "I hope it is big enough for Og and me. Yes, that is Og, which is short for dog. He takes two mutton-chops for dinner, and a little something during the night if he feels disposed, because he is still growing. Tony drove down with me, and is in the car now. He would not come in for fear of seeing Robert, so I ventured to tell them to take him a cup of tea there, which he will drink with the blinds down, and then drive back to town again. He has been made American ambassador, by the way, and will go in to dinner before Robert. My dear, I can think of few things which Robert is less fitted to bear than that. However, we all have our crosses, even those of us who have our coronets also."

Lady Ashbridge's hospitable instincts asserted themselves. "But Page 45

your husband must come in," she said. "I will go and tell him.

And Robert has gone to play golf."

Barbara laughed.

"I am quite sure Tony won't come in," she said. "I promised him he shouldn't, and he only drove down with me on the express stipulation that no risks were to be run about his seeing Robert.

We must take no chances, so let him have his tea quietly in the motor and then drive away again. And who else is there? Anybody?

Michael?"

"Michael comes this evening."

MICHAEL

25

"I am glad; I am particularly fond of Michael. Also he will play to us after dinner, and though I don't know one note from another, it will relieve me of sitting in a stately circle watching Robert cheat at patience. I always find the evenings here rather trying; they remind me of being in church. I feel as if I were part of a corporate body, which leads to misplaced decorum. Ah! there is the sound of Tony's retreating motor; his strategic movement has come off. And now give me some news, if you can get in a word. Dear me, there is Robert coming back across the lawn. What a mercy that Tony did not leave the motor. Robert always walks as if he was dancing a minuet. Look, there is Og imitating him! Or is he stalking him, thinking he is an enemy. Og, come here!"

She whistled shrilly on her fingers, and rose to greet her brother, Page 46

whom Og was still menacing, as he advanced towards her with staccato steps. Barbara, however, got between Og and his prey, and threw her parasol at him.

"My dear, how are you?" she said.