"When?" she inquired.
"Very shortly," said he, and she was puzzled for a moment by the stony glare he gave her.
Lord Simpson took this opportunity to mention that he had taken reservations for the return of himself and wife to Vienna on the next day but one.
"We shall catch the Orient Express on Friday and be in London by Monday," he said. "Our work here is completed. Everything is in ship-shape. Jenkins will remain, of course, to attend to the minor details, such as going over the securities and—"
"Don't you like that caviare?" asked Mr. Blithers with some asperity.
"It has a peculiar taste," said Lord Simpson.
"Best I've ever tasted," said Mr. Blithers, spreading a bun thickly. Pericault's cousins were fingering the champagne glasses. "We've got sherry coming first," said he.
"Everything satisfactory, M'sieur Blithers?" inquired the maitre d'hotel softly, ingratiatingly, into his left ear.
"Absolutely," said Mr. Blithers with precision. "You needn't hurry things. We've got the whole evening ahead of us."
Lady Simpson shivered slightly. The Pericault cousins brightened up. There was still a chance that the "dowagers" would retire early from the scene of festivity.