"Oh!" cried Mrs. Dean. "I wonder what has happened to my car? There is just a suitcase in it, and my hat-box, and dressing-case. Could someone bring them in, do you think?"
"The chauffeur, madam," replied Sturry, contemptuous of overdressed women who expected to see their luggage carried in at the front-door, "drove round to the Back Entrance. Walter has taken up the luggage to the Blue Room, sir," he added, addressing this last remark to Joseph.
Sturry's grand manner, followed so hard upon Maud's damping calm, quite cowed Mrs. Dean. She said Thank you, in a meek voice.
Sturry then moved with a measured tread to the front door, which he opened for Maud and Mathilda, and Joseph unwisely asked him if he had seen Mr. Stephen anywhere.
"Mr. Stephen, sir," said Sturry, in an expressionless voice, "is Knocking the Balls About in the billiardroom."
"Oh tut, tut, tut!" said Joseph involuntarily, and with an apologetic glance towards Mrs. Dean. "These young people are so - so thoughtless! He doesn't mean any harm, you know. He just doesn't always think!"
"Oh, I never mind a little unconventionality!" declared Mrs. Dean, with a wide smile. "I know what an odd, wayward creature Stephen is. Let's go and rout him out, shall we?"
Joseph looked a little dubious, but presumably he thought that Stephen must be accustomed to his future mother-in-law's breezy tactics, for he made no demur, but led the way to the billiard-room.
The Christmas tree, still decked with tinsel, at once caught Mrs. Dean's eye, and she exclaimed at it admiringly before sailing forward to greet Stephen. "My dear boy!" she uttered. "I came as soon as I could!"
Stephen, who was practising nursery-cannons in his shirtsleeves, carefully inspected the disposition of the balls before replying. Having assured himself that they were still lying well, he straightened his back, and said: "So I see. How-do-you-do?"