"So I have noticed," said Mrs Carfrae dryly.
"I was invited here by the Hiltons," explained Carthew, and plunged into a sea of unnecessary corroborative details. "I was quite surprised to find Lady Carr here," he colluded. "I thought she was in London."
"And why," inquired the old lady with sudden ferocity, "is she not at Belton, with her man?"
The faithful Carthew stiffened at once.
"I expect Sir John sent her out here to have a good time," he said. "He could not get away himself, so——"
Mrs Carfrae surveyed him for a moment over her glasses.
"You are a decent lad," she observed rather unexpectedly.
This testimonial had its desired effect of reducing Carthew to silence, and Mrs Carfrae continued—
"You have been with John Carr for some time now, have you not?"
"Yes; ever since I came down from Cambridge."