To-night she was in her place when Violet came in. As usual she took no notice of her, and Violet sat down with the evening paper and did not see Douglas’s entrance, till suddenly old Lady Yardley began to talk.
“My grandson Colin came home from school to-day,” she said. “He has grown——”
“Ah, good evening, Mr. Douglas,” she said. “Colin and Dennis have been playing billiards, but they’ll be here in a moment. You saw Dennis, I think?”
Douglas shook hands with her. More markedly than ever was his face that of a priest. He knew very well that Violet disliked him: dislike perhaps was too superficial a word. He had seen just that same horror in her eyes when she looked at her husband. He wondered sometimes what she knew....
“Yes, Dennis came up to my flat,” he said. “How he has grown. Developed, too, I thought, as well.”
Dennis and Colin came in together.
“Dennis’s fault that we’re late,” he said. “He took so long to beat his poor old father. Well, Granny, how are you? I believe you grow younger every day. Dennis and I are going to take you in to dinner, one on each side.”
She got out of her chair, and stood erect.
“Ah, I knew Colin was coming,” she said. “I told them Colin was coming. Now all will be well at Stanier.”