Julian wondered grimly what story of misdoing the exhortation to fraternal charity might cover. The unforeseeable and disastrous ingenuity of Ambrose's misdeeds was only to be compared to the skill with which his partner and instigator in crime invariably managed to extricate herself at the eleventh hour from complicity and leave him the solitary victim of blame and punishment.
Tea and cakes, arriving opportunely, staved off Ruthie's recitation, and brought the relief of movement.
Lady Rossiter crumbled a very small sponge-cake behind the silver-kettle, and said in a general sort of way that she hoped everyone would make a very good tea and eat a great deal. She herself always thought of Sunday tea as one of the principal meals of the day, as it would only be followed by cold supper in the evening.
Whether cold supper was to be the portion of her guests or not, however, the piled plates of buns and the large cakes, bearing a certain superficial resemblance to preparations for a school-treat, were better patronised by Ruthie than by the members of the College staff.
"We mustn't leave it too late to be starting back," Miss Farmer said nervously. "I mean, it's quite a longish walk."
Julian gauged the measure of Edna's discouragement by her omission to insist graciously upon an expedition first round the garden.
"You must come again one Sunday," she said, not, however, making precise mention of any date. "I should like you to see my view of the sea. There is a beautiful little glimpse to be had from a corner of the garden.... You must so need a draught of blue distance after working inside four walls all the week."
"Thank you, Lady Rossiter," said Miss Farmer meekly, turning a pale brick-colour.
"Thanks," said Miss Sandiloe, her nose in the air and her voice aggressive; "but really I can get all the view I want of the sea from Culmouth. My window looks right over the bay—that's why I took the apartments I did. Are you ready, Horace?"
"Ready," said Mr. Cooper, with an alacrity that might be partly attributable to the unprecedented use of his Christian name—Miss Sandiloe's not too subtle retaliation for Lady Rossiter's frequent "Mark."