Tilly's merry face softened.
"Dicky," she said, half to herself, "is just Dicky. He brought me as far as the door, but I would n't let him come in."
"And are they all coming to tea?" enquired Mrs. Welwyn anxiously.
"Yes--the whole boiling of them, at five this afternoon--a state call!" replied Tilly. "By the way, Mother, that was a bloomer we made about the invitation. I knew at the time we talked about it that you ought to have written a note and chanced the spelling. Her ladyship made that quite plain to me."
"Oh dear!" said Mrs. Welwyn in distress. "What did she say?"
"She did n't say anything in particular," admitted Tilly, crinkling her brow. "Nothing one could take hold of, you know. Just--just--"
"Sort of snacks," suggested her mother sympathetically.
Tilly nodded her head.
"That's it," she said. "Anyhow, she has sent you a written reply. Here it is."
Mrs. Welwyn and Amelia breathed hard and respectfully at the sight of the large thin grey envelope, addressed by Lady Adela's own compelling hand.