rather unkind to Alick Craven, Adela," she murmured. "Has he
offended you?"

"On the contrary. I think he's a charming boy."

"Don't punish him all the afternoon then."

"But I am not going to be here all the afternoon. I have ordered the car
for half-past three."

"It's that now."

"Well, then I must be going almost directly."

"You must stay for tea. A lot of people are coming, and we shall have
music. Alick Craven only accepted because I told him you would be here."

"But you told me he had accepted when you asked me."

"That's how I do things when I really want people who may not want to
come. I lied to both of you, and here you both are."

"Well at any rate you are honest in confession."

"I will counterorder your car. Henry, please tell Lady Sellingworth's
chauffeur that he will be sent for when he is wanted. Oh, Anne, welcome
the wandering sheep back to the social fold!"

She threaded her way slowly through the crowd, talking calmly to one and
another, seeing everything, understanding everything, tremendously at
home in the midst of complications.

Lady Sellingworth talked to Lady Anne, who had just come back from
Mexico. It was her way to dart about the world, leaving her husband
in his arm-chair at the Marlborough. She brought gossip with her from
across the seas, gossip about exotic Presidents and their mistresses,
about revolutionary generals and explorers, about opera singers in
Havana, and great dancers in the Argentine. In her set she was called
"the peripatetic pug," but she had none of the pug's snoring laziness.
Presently someone took her away to play bridge, and for a moment Lady
Sellingworth was standing alone. She was close to a great window which
gave on to the terrace at the back of the house facing the falling
gardens and the woods. She looked out, then looked across the room.
Craven was standing near the door. He had just come in with a lot of
men from the dining-room. He had a cigar in his hand. His cheeks were
flushed. He looked hot and drawn, like a man in a noisy prison of
heat which excited him, but tormented him too. His eyes shone almost
feverishly. As she looked at him, not knowing that he was being watched
he drew a long breath, almost like a man who feared suffocation.
Immediately afterwards he glanced across the room and saw her.

She beckoned to him. With a reluctant air, and looking severe, he came
across to her.

"Are you going to play bridge?" she said.

"I don'