He thrust his hands into his trousers pockets and walked to the French window next to the one in which she stood, with an air of having settled this business completely, and being now free for the tranquil contemplation of horticulture. But Lady Harman had still something to say.
“I am going to all these things,” she said. “I said I would, and I will.”
He didn’t seem immediately to hear her. He made the little noise with his teeth that was habitual to him. Then he came towards her. “This is your infernal sister,” he said.
Lady Harman reflected. “No,” she decided. “It’s myself.”
“I might have known when we asked her here,” said Sir Isaac with an habitual disregard of her judgments that was beginning to irritate her more and more. “You can’t take on all these people. They’re not the sort of people we want to know.”
“I want to know them,” said Lady Harman.
“I don’t.”
“I find them interesting,” Lady Harman said. “And I’ve promised.”
“Well you oughtn’t to have promised without consulting me.”
Her reply was the material of much subsequent reflection on the part of Sir Isaac. There was something in her manner....