"Really, Bundle, that's not like you."
"Well, I never dreamt of such a thing happening. George—who I always thought hated me—and he did too. What a fatal thing it is to pretend to take an interest in a man's pet subject. You should have heard the drivel George talked about my girlish mind and the pleasure it would be to form it. My mind! If George knew one quarter of what was going on in my mind, he'd faint with horror!"
Loraine laughed. She couldn't help it.
"Oh, I know it's my own fault. I let myself in for this. There's Father dodging round that rhododendron. Hallo Father."
Lord Caterham approached with a hangdog expression.
"Lomax gone, eh?" he remarked with somewhat forced geniality.
"A nice business you let me in for," said Bundle. "George told me he had your full approval and sanction."
"Well," said Lord Caterham, "what did you expect me to say? As a matter of fact, I didn't say that at all, or anything like it."
"I didn't really think so," said Bundle. "I assumed that George had talked you into a corner and reduced you to such a state that you could only nod your head feebly."
"That's very much what happened. How did he take it? Badly?"