"All that you have to do is to meet them at the station and take them to the meet," said Mr. Carteret. "Everything else has been arranged."
"But I'm awfully disappointed," said Lord Frederic. "I had counted on you to help, don't you see, and introduce them to Ploversdale. It would be more graceful for an American to do it than for me. You understand?"
"Yes," said Mr. Carteret, "I understand. It's a great disappointment, but I must bear it philosophically."
Mrs. Ascott-Smith looked at him sympathetically, and he coughed twice. "You are suffering," she said. "Lord Frederic, you really must not urge him to expose himself. Have you a pain here?" she inquired, touching herself in the region of the pleura.
"Yes," said Mr. Carteret, "it is rather bad, but I daresay that it will soon be better."
"I am afraid that it may be pneumonia," said his hostess. "You must take a medicine that I have. They say that it is quite wonderful for inflammatory colds. I'll send Hodgson for it," and she touched the bell.
"Please, please don't take that trouble," entreated Mr. Carteret.
"But you must take it," said Mrs. Ascott-Smith. "They call it Broncholine. You pour it in a tin and inhale it or swallow it, I forget which, but it's very efficacious. They used it on Teddy's pony when it was sick. The little creature died but that was because they gave it too much, or not enough, I forget which."
Hodgson appeared and Mrs. Ascott-Smith gave directions about the Broncholine.
"I thank you very much," said Mr. Carteret humbly. "I'll go to my room and try it at once."