Ronald got to his feet. He was still a little lame, and Colin moved towards him.
“You’d better take my arm,” he said. “Or Aunt Margaret will see you’ve had another glass of port without anybody telling her.”
Ronald gave his gross chuckle.
“That would be a singular thing,” he said, “if a Stanier couldn’t carry the drop of wine I’ve drunk without inconvenience. It’s only the fag-end of my attack of gout that makes me lame.”
Colin, however, pressed a friendly arm on him, and together they went into the gallery.
“Granny dear, we’ve left you a long time,” said he, “but Uncle Ronald was so amusing that I couldn’t tear myself away. Now, Uncle Ronald, you sit quietly there on the sofa.”
Colin steered his uncle to the sofa, thus conveying the impression that there was need for guidance.
“Now, Granny,” he said, “we’ll get to our whist. Whom shall we ask to play with us? Here’s Violet and Aunt Margaret; oh, that leaves Aunt Hester out.”
Aunt Hester instantly disclaimed any desire to play. She had got hold of a number of ‘Vogue,’ with a very dainty picture of a young lady on the cover, with a hat that she thought would suit her....
At half-past ten old Lady Yardley’s bath-chair was wheeled in for her, and as soon as the second rubber came to an end she was taken off. Ronald had already left his sofa and drifted away, without doubt to the smoking-room. Aunt Hester, who had cut into the second rubber, gathered up her winnings.