“The matter has been taken out of my hands,” he answered.
“When all this has passed over, you must come and see us again. You have been very good and helpful.”
“Miss Watson, you will forgive me saying a thing I have perhaps no right to say, but I rather fancy Mr. Sanders does not care for my presence here.”
“Surely you are mistaken. Why should he not like you? I thought you got on very well together.”
“It won’t do, Miss Watson, you know differently. And I expect you can guess the reason. So I had better go.”
This was said with such a charm of manner that it disarmed her from the haughty tone she would have assumed.
“Well, I am very sorry. But perhaps you two will get to know each other better.”
“Perhaps we shall,” he muttered under his breath.
Allery entered. “Oh, Mr. Allery,” said Mabel, “here’s Mr. Collins going off to-morrow. This will mean the break-up of our party.”
“Well, I am afraid we shall have to go too, very soon. My business will not wait, you know.”