They all went up to the girls' room, and shortly after the Twiss' and the Wicks who were spending the night with the Catherwoods, left, and the rain having ceased, Paul walked back with them.
When they had gone Mrs. Walbridge, Sir John and Guy sat on for a while in the pleasant, flower-filled room, and presently Mrs. Walbridge asked Guy to leave her alone with Sir John, and the young man said "Good-night," and went out.
Mrs. Walbridge sat very slim and graceful-looking in her new clothes, and, what was still more remarkable, her new bearing, on the black chesterfield, and Barclay walked up and down the room restlessly, his hands behind him, his head sunk thoughtfully on his breast.
Neither of them spoke for a long time, and then Mrs. Walbridge broke the silence.
"Sir John," she began abruptly, "I do hope you are not going to want to take Grisel back with you to South America next week?"
He turned. "So Paul has told you?"
"Yes. I hope you don't mind."
"Not at all. That is why I told him."
"He thought—he thought you might be asking her to marry you at once—while you were on the veranda I mean."