"Probably it's an informal party," said he.
"It certainly seems most informal. I am not accustomed to be asked quite like that."
Peppino began to be aware of the true nature of the situation.
"I see what you mean, cara," he said. "So don't let us go. Then she will take the hint perhaps."
Lucia thought this over for a moment and found that she rather wanted to go. But a certain resentment that had been slowly accumulating in her mind for some days past began to leak out first, before she consented to overlook Olga's informality.
"It is a fortnight since I called on her," she said, "and she has not even returned the call. I daresay they behave like that in London in certain circles, but I don't know that London is any better for it."
"She has been away twice since she came," said Peppino. "She has hardly been here for a couple of days together yet."
"I may be wrong," said Lucia. "No doubt I am wrong. But I should have thought that she might have spared half-an-hour out of these days by returning my call. However, she thought not."
Peppino suddenly recollected a thrilling piece of news which most unaccountably he had forgotten to tell Lucia.
"Dear me, something slipped my memory," he said. "I met Mrs Weston yesterday afternoon, who told me that half an hour ago Miss Bracely had seen her in her bath-chair and had taken the handles from Tommy Luton, and pushed her twice round the green, positively running."