Ford stood beside her, ostensibly watching the game, but every now and then, as though by stealth, he turned his eyes and fixed them upon her smooth fair hair and pleasantly serious face, with its slightly open mouth.
From against the wall, Rose’s voice and her laughter cut across the room all too frequently, with an effect of stridency.
Lucian saw that Sir Thomas glanced at her once or twice, frowningly.
“You’re too good for me, doctor,” said Toby good-humouredly.
It was undeniably true.
“Shall we come back into the drawing-room?”
Lady Aviolet led the way, talking to her guest.
“Curiously enough, Lord Charlesbury, who does everything else so well, is not a billiard-player. He left us this morning, I’m sorry to say. Such a delightful man.”
“A short visit,” said Ford curtly, “and I saw less of him than I should have liked. However, he and I had some instructive conversation on the subject of preparatory schools.”
He laughed softly as though at some amusing thought.