"How did you hear, Tony?"
"Gracie Jones telephoned. My dears, they've had every sort of adventure. Dr. Prince's car broke down last night, or something, and a messenger met them from Plessing to say Sir Piers had had another stroke, and Miss Vivian and the doctor were to come at once. And he never recovered consciousness, and died this morning early. Isn't it dreadful?"
"Oh, poor Miss Vivian! Did Gracie say anything about her?"
"Only that she was being very brave. Of course, that's just what she would be."
"I suppose Gracie's coming back here tonight? Rather awful for her, poor girl, to be there just now."
"That's the extraordinary thing," said Tony with great animation. "She's actually been asked to stay on."
"She hasn't!"
"She has, really. I asked her what she was doing, and she said nothing much, but that Lady Vivian wanted her to stay."
"Well, I suppose she thinks she'll be of some use to Miss Vivian, but it seems rather queer, in a way, doesn't it? I mean her not knowing them, except officially, so to speak."
"Has any one told Mrs. Bullivant?" Miss Delmege inquired.