his, you should have given both
her and me notice! There is a crowd of people here!"

Frown and voice were Jovian indeed. Doris, however, showed no tremors.

"Lady Dunstable will find somewhere to put me up," she said, half
scornfully. "Is there a telegram for me?"

"A telegram? Why should there be a telegram? What is the meaning of all
this? For heaven's sake, explain!"

Doris, however, did not attempt to explain. Her mood had been very soft
on the journey. But Arthur's reception of her had suddenly stirred the
root of bitterness again; and it was shooting fast and high. Whatever
she had done or left undone, he ought _not_ to have been able to conceal
that he was glad to see her--he ought _not_ to have been able to think
of Lady Dunstable first! She began to take a pleasure in mystifying him.

"I expected a telegram. I daresay it will come soon. You see I've asked
someone else to come this afternoon--and she'll have to be put up too."

"Asked someone else!--to Lady Dunstable's house!" Meadows stood
bewildered. "Really, Doris, have you taken leave of your senses?"

She stood with shining eyes, apparently enjoying his astonishment. Then
she suddenly bethought herself.

"I must go and pay the taxi." Turning round, she coolly surveyed the
"fortified post." "It looks big enough to take me in. Arthur!--I think
you may pay the man. Just take out my bag, and tell the footman to put
it in your room. That will do for the present. I shall sit down here and
wait for Lady Dunstable. I'm pretty tired."

The thought of what the magnificent gentleman presiding over Lady
Dunstable's hall would say to the unexpected irruption of Mrs. Meadows,
and Mrs. Meadows's bag, upon the "fortified post" he controlled, was
simply beyond expressing. Meadows tried to face his wife with dignity.

"I think we'd better keep the taxi, Doris. Then you and I can go back to
the hotel together. We can't force ourselves upon Lady Dunstable like
this, my dear. I'd better go and tell someone to pack my things. But we
must, of course, wait and see Lady Dunstable--though how you will
explain your coming, and get yourself--and me--out of this absurd
predicament, I cannot even pretend to imagine!"

Doris sat down--wearily.

"Don't keep the taxi, Arthur. I assure you Lady Dunstable will be very
glad to keep both me--and my bag. Or if she won't--Lord Dunstable will."

Meadows came nearer--bent down to study her tired face.

"There's some mystery, of cou