"It's only your sense of the scrupulous," Collingwood replied. "Only say it often enough. Say it thirty or forty times; then it will sound all right."
At this moment the door opened and Lady Attwill came in. She looked quickly at Collingwood and he at her.
"Good morning," he said. "Well, how is Peggy?"
"She has a bad headache," Lady Attwill replied. "She's coming in in a minute or two. I have had a warm quarter of an hour, I can tell you, though I am sure I don't know what I have done...."
If the woman was acting she was acting supremely, for there seemed genuine disgust in her voice.
"Is she much cut up?" Lord Ellerdine asked.
"I should think she is! She's dreadfully cut up! I don't know what we are to do," Lady Attwill said.
Lord Ellerdine suddenly became important; his little mouth smiled brightly. He was the bearer of good news. "Oh, that's all settled," he said, rubbing his hands briskly together. "I and Collingwood have arranged it all."
"Arranged what?" Lady Attwill asked.
"Well, do you see, we all——"