edward. Yes.
He follows the old man and his basket, leaving the others to distribute themselves about the room. It is a custom of the female members of the voysey family, especially about Christmas time, to return to the dining room, when the table has been cleared and occupy themselves in various ways which require space and untidiness. Sometimes as the evening wears on they partake of cocoa, sometimes they abstain. beatrice has a little work-basket, containing a buttonless glove and such things, which she is rectifying. honor's writing is done with the aid of an enormous blotting book, which bulges with apparently a year's correspondence. She sheds its contents upon the end of the dining table and spreads them abroad. mrs. voysey settles to the fire, opens the Nineteenth Century and is instantly absorbed in it.
beatrice. Where's Emily?
honor. [mysteriously.] Well, Beatrice, she's in the library talking to Booth.
beatrice. Talking to her husband; good Heavens! I know she has taken my scissors.
honor. I think she's telling him about you.
beatrice. What about me?
honor. You and Hugh.
beatrice. [with a little movement of annoyance.] I suppose this is Hugh's fault. It was carefully arranged no one was to be told till after Christmas.
honor. Emily told me . . and Edward knows . . and Mother knows . .