He went out and banged the door.
Edith went to the telephone.
CHAPTER XIV
Lady Cannon's Visit
Lady Cannon got up one morning earlier than usual and tried on a dress of last season, which she found was a little too tight. For this, naturally, she blamed her maid with some severity. She then dressed rather hurriedly and went all over the house, touching little ornaments with the tip of her finger, saying that the pictures in the drawing-room were crooked, and that nothing had been properly dusted. Having sent for the housemaid and scolded her, and given the second footman notice, she felt better, but was still sufficiently in what is expressively called a bad temper to feel an inclination to do disagreeable duties, so she made up her mind to call and see her husband's ward, and tell her something she would not like to hear. For Hyacinth she always felt a curious mixture of chronic anger, family pride, and admiring disapproval, which combination she had never yet discovered to be a common form of vague jealousy.
Lady Cannon arrived about three o'clock, pompously dressed in tight purple velvet and furs. She thought she saw two heads appear at the studio window and then vanish, but was told that Miss Verney was out.
Prompted by a determination not to be baffled, she said she would get out and write a note, and was shown to the drawing-room.
Anne, in a peculiarly hideous and unnecessary apron of black alpaca, came in, bringing a little writing-case.
'Oh! Miss Yeo, as you're there, I needn't write the letter. You can give
Hyacinth a message for me.'
'Certainly, Lady Cannon.'