Oh, Gerald, how could you?

SIR JAMES (still talking to WENTWORTH). He tells me that Gerald is a
marked man in the Service now.

TOMMY (to LETTY). Do you remember when Gerald--

MISS FARRINGDON (incisively). Let's _all_ talk about Gerald.

(GERALD, who has been listening to all this with more amusement than
embarrassment, gives a sudden shout of laughter.)

GERALD. Oh, Aunt Tabitha, you're too lovely! (He blows her a kiss and
she shakes her stick at him.)

[Enter PAMELA from the door In front of the staircase, tall, beautiful
and serene, a born mother. GERALD carried her off her feet a month ago,
but it is a question if he really touched her heart--a heart moved more
readily by pity than by love.]

PAMELA. Gerald, dear, I'd know your laugh anywhere. Am I too late for
the joke?

GERALD. Hullo, Pamela. Brought Bob with you?

PAMELA. He's just washing London off himself.

LADY FARRINGDON. Pamela, dear, do you know Mr. Wentworth?

PAMELA (shaking hands). How do you do?

LADY FARRINGDON (to WENTWORTH). Miss Carey--Gerald's Pamela.

PAMELA. I've heard so much about you, Mr. Wentworth.

WENTWORTH. And I've heard so much about you, Miss Carey.

PAMELA. That's nice. Then we can start straight off as friends.

LETTY. I suppose you know Tommy did the eighth in one?

PAMELA. Rather. It's splendid!

LETTY. _Do_ say you haven't told Bob.

GERALD. Why shouldn't Bob know?

PAMELA. No, I haven't told him, Letty.

LETTY. Good, then Tommy can tell him.

TOMMY. They do pull my leg, don't they, Miss Farringdon?

[Enter BOB from the outer hall in a blue flannel suit. He has spoilt any
chance he had of being considered handsome by a sullen expression now
habitual. Two years older than Gerald, he is not so tall, but bigger,
and altogether less graceful. He has got in the way of talking in rather
a surly voice, as if he suspected that any interest taken in him was
merely a polite one.]

GERALD. Hullo, Bob; good man.

BOB. Hullo. (He goes up to LADY FARRINGDON and kisses her.) How are you,
mother?

LADY FARRINGDON. It's so nice that you could get away, dear.

BOB. How are you, father? All right?

SIR JAMES. Ah, Bob! Come down to see your brother play for the county?

PAMELA (quickly). He's come down to see _me_, haven't you, Bob?

BOB. Hullo, Wentworth. Hullo, Letty. I say, I can't shake hands with you
all. (He smacks TOMMY on the back and goes over to Miss FARRINGDON.) How
are you, dear?

MISS FARRINGDON.