"I want them to come home to luncheon, Digby. Do make them."
"Oh yes, pray, come," said Digby, "unless you have anything better to do."
"Oh no," said Salome simply. "Reginald and I were going to get some buns at a shop. We did not intend to go back till—"
A warning, not to say angry, glance from Reginald stopped Salome, and she added,—
"Perhaps we had better not come, thanks. Mamma and Ada and the children are coming this afternoon, and Reginald has to be at the station at five o'clock to meet them."
"Well, as it's not one o'clock yet," said Digby, "there's time, I should think, for both." He changed companions as he spoke, and, leaving Kate to Reginald, walked briskly on with Salome towards Edinburgh Crescent.
The bell was ringing for the "children's dinner" as the four cousins were admitted by the "boy in buttons" who answered the doctor's bell, and had in truth time for little else than swinging back that door on the hinges and receiving patients' notes, telegrams, and messages.
"You are late, Miss Kate," was Bean's greeting. By reason of his name poor Bean had a variety of sobriquets in the family. Of these "Stalky Jack" and "Vegetable" were amongst the most conspicuous.
"Is mamma gone?" Kate asked anxiously.
"Yes, miss, just turned the corner as you came up. Lady Monroe don't lunch till one-thirty: we lunch at one sharp."