'A rest!' breathed Lady John, horror-struck.
Miss Levering glanced at the clock as she rose to go upstairs, while Lady John and Mrs. Heriot bent their heads over the plan covertly talking.
Jean ran forward and caught the tall grey figure on the lower step.
'I want to begin to understand something of——,' she began in a beseeching tone. 'I'm horribly ignorant.'
Miss Levering looked down upon her searchingly. 'I'm a rather busy person,' she said.
'I have a quite special reason for wanting not to be ignorant. I'll go to town to-morrow,' said Jean, impulsively, 'if you'll come and lunch with me—or let me come to you.'
'Jean!' It was Aunt Lydia's voice.
'I must go and put my hat on,' said Miss Levering, hurrying up the stair.
Mrs. Heriot bent towards her sister and half whispered, 'How little she minds talking about horrors!'