As Sarah was the devoted retainer who constituted Miss Clare's domestic staff, the reason for her visit to the Manor was felt to have been satisfactorily explained. Nathaniel grunted, and said that he might have known it. Joseph squeezed Mathilda's arm, and told her not to pay any attention to Nat. "We're going to have a real Christmas jollification!" he said.
"The deuce we are!" said Mathilda. "All right, Joe: I'll co-operate. The perfect guest: that's me. Where's Cousin Maud?"
Maud was discovered presently in the morning-room. She seemed vaguely glad to see Mathilda, and gave her a cheek to kiss, remarking somewhat disconcertingly: "Poor Joseph is so set on an old-fashioned Christmas!"
"All right, I've no objection to helping him," said Mathilda. "Shall I make paper-chains, or something? Who's coming?"
"Stephen and Paula, and Stephen's fiancee, and of course Mr. Mottisfont."
"It sounds like a riot of fun. Stephen would make any party go with a swing."
"Nathaniel does not care for Stephen's fiancee," Maud stated.
"You don't say!" remarked Miss Clare vulgarly.
"She is very pretty," said Maud.
Mathilda grinned. "So she is," she admitted.