“Is Sir Isaac——?”
“Sir Isaac, my lady, is not a Tome. Nobody is a Tome, my lady.”
“But we’ve come from London!” said Lady Beach-Mandarin.
“I’m very sorry, my lady.”
“You see, I want my friend to see this house and garden.”
Snagsby was visibly disconcerted. “I ’ave no instructions, my lady,” he tried.
“Oh, but Lady Harman would never object——”
Snagsby’s confusion increased. He seemed to be wanting to keep his face to the visitors and at the same time glance over his shoulder. “I will,” he considered, “I will enquire, my lady.” He backed a little, and seemed inclined to close the door upon them. Lady Beach-Mandarin was too quick for him. She got herself well into the open doorway. “And of whom are you going to enquire?”
A large distress betrayed itself in Snagsby’s eye. “The ’ousekeeper,” he attempted. “It falls to the ’ousekeeper, my lady.”
Lady Beach-Mandarin turned her face to Miss Garradice, shining in support. “Stuff and nonsense,” she said, “of course we shall come in.” And with a wonderful movement that was at once powerful and perfectly lady-like this intrepid woman—“butted” is not the word—collided herself with Snagsby and hurled him backward into the hall. Miss Garradice followed closely behind and at once extended herself in open order on Lady Beach-Mandarin’s right. “Go and enquire,” said Lady Beach-Mandarin with a sweeping gesture of her arm. “Go and enquire.”