“His relations are far away,” said Mr Bunker, looking pensively out of the window.
“We might come in for a few minutes, Alicia?” suggested Lady Grillyer.
“Yes, mamma,” replied Lady Alicia, with an alacrity that rather surprised their host.
With a pleasantly dejected air he ushered the ladies into the darkened sick-room. The Baron, striving to conceal his exultation under a rueful semblance, greeted them with a languid yet happy smile.
“Ah, Lady Grillyer, zis is kind indeed! And you, Lady Alicia, how can I zank you?”
“My daughter and I are much distressed, Baron, to find our host hors de combat,” said the Countess, graciously.
“Just when you wanted to go away too!” added Lady Alicia, sympathetically.
The Baron emitted a happy blend of sigh and groan.
“Alas!” he replied, “it is hard indeed.”
“You must hurry up and get better,” said the Countess, in her most cheering sick-room manner. “It won’t do to disappoint the Brierleys, you know.”