"I say," he ventured to expostulate—"you know I am no milksop—but don't you think that you and the Colonel are getting a trifle thick? He's a married man, you know, and——"
She flushed angrily, and then controlling herself, said quietly:
"Oblige me by going to the drawing-room at once, Lieutenant Kingsland. We've been here too long already."
He bit his lip, looked at her, laughed shamefacedly, and thrusting his hands into his trousers' pockets, went out.
Having given him time to make his escape, she slowly followed his footsteps.
Stanley dreaded meeting his friends, as a man does who stands convicted of having done something foolish, and while he was wondering whom he had better encounter first, Lady Isabelle settled the question for him by meeting him in the great hall.
"This is indeed unexpected," she said. "After what you told me at Lady Rainsford's tea, it's naturally the last place where I should have thought of seeing you."
"I don't suppose our hostess considered it necessary to mention that I was coming, after all."
"I believe that she did say something at luncheon about receiving a telegram from you; but as you had assured me that you were not to be here, and as I was much engaged——"