She stood waiting. The door flew open, and in came a tall young man.
"William, how late you are!" said Lady Tranmore, as she flew into his arms.
"Well, mother, are you pleased?"
Her son held her at arm's-length, smiling kindly upon her.
"Of course I am," said Lady Tranmore. "And you—are you horribly tired?"
"Not a bit. Ah, Mary!—how do you do?"
Miss Lyster had risen, and the cousins shook hands.
"But I don't deny it's very jolly to come back—out of all that beastly scrimmage," said the new member, as he threw himself into an arm-chair by the fire with his hands behind his head, while Lady Tranmore prepared him a cup of tea.
"I expect you've enjoyed it," said Miss Lyster, also moving towards the fire.
"Well, when you're in it there's a certain excitement in wondering how you're going to come out of it! But one might say that, of course, of the infernal regions."