“That dog does smell,” said Lily, bluntly.
“What do you expect? What she wants is the least dose of prussic acid. She’s a burden to herself.”
“It’s funny that if you venture to hint to Mrs. Povey that the dog is offensive she gets quite peppery,” said Lily.
“Well, that’s very simple,” said Dick. “Don’t hint, that’s all! Hold your nose and your tongue too.”
“Dick, I do wish you wouldn’t be so absurd.”
Constance returned into the room, cutting short the conversation.
“Mrs. Povey,” said Dick, in a voice full of gratitude, “Lily has just been showing me her brooch—”
He noticed that she paid no heed to him, but passed hurriedly to the window.
“What’s amiss in the Square?” Constance exclaimed. “When I was in the parlour just now I saw a man running along Wedgwood Street, and I said to myself, what’s amiss?”
Dick and Lily joined her at the window.