It did single them out, this fencing. Herbert and Arnold sat as spectators, pushed, in a manner, aside.
"I suppose she will be off soon," Livingstone said.
"Oh, dreadfully soon. On the 15th. I had a note from her to-day."
"Did she say she was going?" Stephen asked quickly.
"She mentioned the company—she is the company, surely."
"Oh, undoubtedly. May I—might I ask for a little more soda-water, Alicia?" He made the request so formally that she glanced at him with surprise.
"Please do—but isn't it very odious, by itself, that way? I suppose we shouldn't leave out Hamilton Bradley—he certainly counts."
"For how much?" inquired her brother. "He's going to pieces."
"Hilda can pull him together again," Lindsay said incautiously.
"Has she an influence for good—over him?" Stephen inquired and cleared his throat. He caught a glance exchanged and frowned.