"How long had he been here?"
"Over an hour. I can't say exactly. You must ask Elphinstone when he came, if you want to know."
"It doesn't matter to me when he came."
"You asked." Sibyl made no reply. A lunch-gong sounded below, and she vanished, but presently returned.
"You are not coming down to lunch?" she said. "At least, are you? Or not?"
"Of course not! How could I, without flying in Sir Rhyscombe's face?"
But Sibyl's question had been mere conversation-making, or skirmish-seeking. She said what she meant directly after. "I suppose it's perfectly useless my saying anything. But you know what I think."
"I know what you think, dear! Go to lunch."
"Very well, Judith!" And Sibyl departed for lunch as Judith sounded her bell for her little handmaid, the reputed sugar-plum.