"Oh, yes," the irrepressible Belle called after her. "I just sent Kingsland up there. He's been showing me bank notes in the billiard-room. I thought I'd never get rid of him."
If her Ladyship heard this information she betrayed no sign of the fact, and Miss Fitzgerald returned to more congenial fields.
"You behaved disgracefully," said Stanley, as they went in search of Mrs. Roberts, "and I shall have to spend most of this evening in trying to make my peace with Lady Isabelle."
"Poor, proper Jimsy! Was he shocked? But I really couldn't help it, you know—she's such a funny old thing."
The Secretary wisely changed the subject.
When they discovered Mrs. Roberts she assured them that their proposed arrangement at table suited her exactly, but could not forbear whispering in her niece's ear:
"I shouldn't think you'd have thought it necessary to ask. Of course, I'd arranged it that way."
To which Miss Belle whispered in return: