"Can I see you--alone--for a few minutes--before lunch?"

"_Before_ lunch? We are all very hungry, I'm afraid," said Lady
Dunstable, with a smile. Meadows was conscious of a rising fury. His
quick sense perceived something delicately offensive in every word and
look of the great lady. Doris, of course, had done an incredibly foolish
thing. What she had come to say to Lady Dunstable he could not conceive;
for the first explanation--that of a silly jealousy--had by now entirely
failed him. But it was evident to him that Lady Dunstable assumed it--or
chose to assume it. And for the first time he thought her odious!

Doris seemed to guess it, for she pressed his arm as though to keep him
quiet.

"Before lunch, please," she repeated. "I think--you will soon
understand." With an odd, and--for the first time--slightly puzzled look
at her visitor, Lady Dunstable said with patronising politeness--

"By all means. Shall we come to my sitting-room?"

She led the way to the house. Meadows followed, till a sign from Doris
waved him back. On the way Doris found herself greeted by Sir Luke
Malford, bowed to by various unknown gentlemen, and her hand grasped by
Miss Field.

"You do look done! Have you come straight from London? What--is Rachel
carrying you off? I shall send you in a glass of wine and a biscuit
directly!"