"I see," she said. And yet she did not see. How could there be any honour if he did not want his sisters to be there? "That means the best tea-service and my best manners?"
He didn't know, he said, that she had any but the best.
How good they were she let him see when he presented Miss Holland on her arrival, her trailing, conspicuous arrival. Gertrude had never given him occasion to feel that his guests could have a more efficient hostess than his secretary. She spoke of the pleasure it gave her to see Miss Holland, and of the honour that she felt, and of how she had heard of Miss Holland from Mr. Brodrick. There was no becoming thing that Gertrude did not say. And all the time she was aware of Brodrick's eyes fixed on Miss Holland with that curious lack of diffuseness in their vision.
Brodrick was carrying it off by explaining Gertrude to Miss Holland.
"Miss Collett," he said, "is a wonderful lady. She's always doing the most beautiful things, so quietly that you never knew they're done."
"Does anybody," said Jane, "know how the really beautiful things are done?"
"There's a really beautiful tea," said Miss Collett gaily, "in the garden. There are scones and the kind of cake you like."
"You see," Brodrick said, "how she spoils me, how I lie on roses."
"You'd better come," said Miss Collett, "while the scones are still hot."
"While," said Jane, "the roses are still fresh."