Emma dimpled. So Charlie had noticed a gown of hers for once!
“Wear something friendly looking, something home-like, as fine as you like, but nothing of the fireworks order, to put a man off his food. And be friendly. That’s all I ask.”
The two women stared in surprise.
“Perhaps you’d like to look through my rags, and tell Justine which to lay out for tonight?”
“It might not be a bad idea,” Snow replied.
“Well!” Lady Snow gasped. “Would you like me to have a few Chinese flags in the drawing-room?” she demanded. “And the table decorated with red fire-crackers?”
“I would not!” she was told. “For the love of Mike, be good tonight, Em!”
“I wish I knew why you care so much,” she pouted.
“My dear,” he assured her, “you wouldn’t understand a word, if I told you all about it. But I have my reasons, of course. I want Sên King-lo to feel at home here. And I want him to come again.”
“Silly old politics!” the wife said scornfully. But her eyes danced. Probably Charlie would let it be a big dinner-party next time.