"Now." said Christian, "shall we send for the children?"
"No," said Miss Gascoigne; "at least not until I have said a word which I should be sorry to say before young people. Dr. Grey, I wish that you, who have some knowledge of the usages of society, would instruct your wife in them a little more. I do not expect much from her, but still, now that she is your wife, some knowledge of manners, or even common civility—"
"What have I done?" exclaimed Christian, half alarmed and half amused.
Miss Gascoigne took no notice, but continued addressing Dr. Grey:
"I ask you, as a gentleman, when other gentlemen come to this house to pay their respects to me—that is, to the ladies generally, ought Mrs. Grey to take the earliest opportunity of escaping from the drawing-room, nor return to it the whole time the visitors stay? No doubt she is unused to society, feels a little awkward in it, but still—"
"I understand now," interrupted Christian. "Yes, I did this afternoon exactly as she says. I am fully aware of the fact."
"And, pray, who was the gentleman to whom you were so very rude?" asked
Dr. Grey, smiling.
Christian replied without any hesitation—and oh! how thankful that she was able to do so— "It was Sir Edwin Uniacke."
But she was not prepared for the start and flash of sudden anger with which her husband heard the name.
"What! has he called at my house? That is more effrontery than I gave him credit for."