"I couldn't help it. It was so utterly ridiculous, Rosa. Her 'Oh, my long lost darling!' was just exquisite. And she did it uncommonly well."
"My laughter will have to wait till we're all out of the wood," said Rosa; "and there's a long way to go yet."
"Yours won't, will it?" Nessa asked me.
"Not a bit of it. Let's laugh while we can. But now what about the workman's card that I need?"
"Oscar's getting it," replied Rosa. "I told him to lose no time; and after this affair to-day, the sooner you're away, the easier I shall feel. It's getting on my nerves. I'd better go to mother now and calm her down."
We rose and Nessa turned to me with a mischievous smile. "You'll have me at the wedding, won't you?" she rallied.
"Whose?"
"Why yours, of course."
"Certainly. It couldn't take place without you," I replied, laughing, but with a look which made her rather sorry she'd chipped me.
"Why not?" asked Rosa stolidly. Her humour was only Teutonic. "You don't expect me to be present, I hope?"