"I seem to be more popular than ever," said Joan as she got into the carriage. "Why aren't we allowed a footman?"
"You won't find you're at all popular when you get home," said Nancy. "The absence of a footman is intended to mark father's displeasure with you. He sent out to say there wasn't to be one, and William was to drive, instead of old Probyn. Father is very good at making his ritual expressive."
"What's the trouble?" enquired Joan. "My going to Brummels for the week-end?"
"Yes. Without a with-your-leave or by-your-leave. Such a house as that is no place for a well-brought-up girl, and what on earth Humphrey and Susan were thinking of in taking you there he can't think. I say, why did you all go in such a hurry? You didn't say anything about it when you wrote on Friday."
"Because it was arranged all in a hurry. Lady Sedbergh is going through a month's rest cure at Brummels, and she thought she'd have a lively party to say good-bye before she shuts herself up. It was Bobby Trench who made her ask us, at the last moment."
"Joan, is Bobby Trench paying you attentions? You never told me anything in your letters, but he seems to have been always about."
Joan laughed. "I'll tell you all about Bobby Trench later on," she said. "I've been saving it up. Mother isn't annoyed at my going to Brummels, is she?"
"I don't think so. But she said Humphrey and Susan ought not to have taken you there without asking."
"There wasn't time to ask. Besides, I wanted to go, just to see how the smart set really do behave when they're all at home together."
"Well, how do they?"