Mrs. Ballantyne enters. She is prosperous-looking and clad in warm furs, and is out of breath from ascending the stairs.
Miss Miller: Good afternoon, Mrs. Ballantyne.
Mrs. Ballantyne (out of breath): Good afternoon. Oh dear, those stairs! I’m out of breath.
Miss Miller: They are trying, aren’t they? Four flights!
Mrs. Ballantyne: Oh, you oughtn’t to find them trying, at your age. Tell me, have you any idea why we’ve all been asked to come here to-day, Miss Miller? It’s not the day for our regular meeting, at all.
Miss Miller: No, I’ve got the notice for that all ready to send out as usual. This is a special meeting that Mrs. Lloyd-Evans is calling. She only sent me a note about it last night, telling me to get the room ready.
Mrs. Ballantyne: She wrote to me too, but she didn’t say what it was all about. I suppose she’ll have written to Mrs. Akers, as well.
Miss Miller: Here they are.
(Enter Mrs. Lloyd-Evans and Mrs. Akers. Mrs. Lloyd-Evans is mysterious and melancholy, and Mrs. Akers lively and full of undisguised curiosity. Both wear heavy coats, furs, etc. They shake hands with Mrs. Ballantyne, and nod and say how d’ye do to Miss Miller. Whilst they talk they loosen or take off their wraps, and place them on the pegs near the door.)