's rather a
charming old place, don't you think so? But of course it's terribly
untidy now. I haven't started my house-parties yet, and everything's
generally more or less upside down till my husband and I begin to
come down regularly. Perhaps you'd prefer to wait till after lunch,
though?"

Sally rose willingly to her feet.

"Oh no. Not at all--I should like to see it immensely. I think the
hall is perfectly wonderful."

Mrs. Durlacher stood up, her eyes candidly criticizing Sally's
dress.

"Yes, it is rather quaint. We'll go through to the library first."

Then, but not until that moment, not until she had passed through
the white heat of the fire, and had felt her spirit charred, did any
help come to her. Traill opened the door abruptly and came into the
room. From the set line of his lips, both of them could see that his
temper was loose. His shutting of the door, every action, was an
expression of feeling to which an innate sense of politeness made
him deny speech. He crossed the room without hesitation to join them,
shaking hands with his sister.

"They told me you were here, Dolly," he said, all pleasure of meeting
her stamped utterly from his voice.

"Well, I suppose they did," she replied with a laugh. "Besides,
didn't you see the car? I motored over this morning. That reminds
me--" She played with self-possession, it came so easily to her.
"That reminds me. Garrett wants a clean collar. Did you see Garrett?"

"Yes."

"Well, did you ever see such a filthy collar as he's wearing in all
your life?"

"I don't know--" He crushed her flippancy with the tone in his voice,
the look in his eyes. "I don't go about looking at other people's
linen."

"No, but you'd have to if you sat behind Garrett as I did this morning
for something over an hour. You couldn't help noticing it."

"Well, you can't expect a servant to be clean, can you?" he retorted.
"If he hides his uncleanliness that's all you can demand of him."

She broke into a light, ringing laugh at his ironical humour; but
he took no notice of that.

"Where were you two going?" he added. He addressed the question to
Sally, turning his eyes to hers.

Mrs. Durlacher interposed the answer. "I was going to show Miss
Bishop round the house before lunch," she said. "I thought you might
show her the grounds afterwards."

"She's much too tired to go tramping round the place before lunch,"
said Traill, abruptly. "Remember we've just been bumped down fr