They were late for dinner, which was the reason, Brodrick thought, why the Angel of the Dinner (as Jane called her) looked annoyed.
They were very polite and kind to her, sustaining a conversation devised and elaborated for her diversion.
Gertrude was manifestly not diverted. She congratulated Brodrick on his brilliant appearance, and said in her soft voice that his holiday had evidently done him good, and that it was a pity he hadn't stayed away a little longer. Brodrick replied that he didn't want to stay away longer. He thought Gertrude looked fatigued, and suggested that a holiday would do her good. She had better take one.
"I wish you would," said Jane.
"We both," said Brodrick, "wish you would."
Gertrude said she never wanted to take holidays. She got on better without them. Jane looked at Brodrick.
"I might have gone with you," she said. "After all, Baby never did have convulsions."
"I knew he wouldn't," said Brodrick, and remembered that it was Gertrude who had said he would.
A pause in the dialogue robbed Gertrude's next remark of any relevance it might have had.
"We've seen," said she, "a good deal of Mr. Tanqueray." (Another pause.) "I wonder how Mrs. Tanqueray gets on."