asking them he had blushed and stammered: the
invitation had seemed to him to savour of audacity. But, bless you!
they had accepted with apparent ecstasy. They gave him to think that
they had genuinely wanted to come. And they came extra-specially
dressed--visions, lilies of the field. And as the day was quite warm,
tea was served in the garden, and everybody admired the view; and there
was no restraint, no awkwardness. In particular Ella talked with an
ease and a distinction that enchanted Horace, and almost made him talk
with ease and distinction too. He said to himself that, seeing he had
only known her a month, he was getting on amazingly. He said to himself
that his good luck passed belief.

Then there was a sound of cab-wheels on the other side of the
garden-wall, and presently Horace heard the housekeeper complimenting
Sidney on his good looks, and Sidney asking the housekeeper to lend him
three shillings to pay the cabman. The golden youth had returned
without the slightest warning from his cruise. The tea trio, at the
lower end of the garden, saw him standing in the porch, tanned, curly,
graceful, and young. Horace half rose, and then sat down again. Ella
stared hard.

'That must be your brother,' she said.

'Yes, that's Sid,' Horace answered; and then, calling out loudly: 'Come
down here, Sid, and tell them to bring another cup and saucer.'

'Right you are, old man,' Sidney shouted. 'You see I'm back. What! Mrs
Penkethman, is that you?' He came down the central path of the garden
like a Narcissus.

'He DOES look delicate,' said Ella under her breath to Horace. Tears
came to her eyes.

Naturally Ella knew all about Sidney. She enjoyed the entire confidence
of Mrs Penkethman, and what Mrs Penkethman didn't know of the private
history of the upper classes in Bursley did not amount to very much.

These were nearly the last words that Ella spoke to Horace that
afternoon. The introduction was made, and Sidney slipped into the party
as comfortably as he slipped into everything, like a candle slipping
into a socket. But nevertheless Ella talked no more. She just stared at
Sidney, and listened to him. Horace was proud that Sidney had made such
an impression on her; he was glad that she showed no aversion to
Sidney, because, in the event of Horace's marriage, where would Sidney
live, if not with Horace and Horace's wife? Still, he could have wished
that Ella would continue to display her conversational powers.