when they were dispatching a telegram for her to an address in London, she
had popped out the remark: "Do you know I'm the youngest peeress in
England?" And truth shone in her candid and simple smile. They had not
found the peer, neither on the ship, nor on the quay, nor in the station.
And the peeress would not wait. She was indeed obviously frightened at the
idea of remaining in Calais alone, even till the next express. She said
that her husband's "man" would meet the train in Paris. She ate plenteously
with Audrey and Miss Ingate in the refreshment-room, and she would not
leave them nor allow them to leave her. The easiest course was to let her
have her way, and she had it.

By dint of Miss Ingate's unscrupulous tricks with small baggage they
contrived to keep a whole compartment to themselves. As soon as the train
started the peeress began to cry. Then, wiping her heavenly silly eyes, and
upbraiding herself, she related to her protectresses the glory of a new
manicure set. Unfortunately she could not show them the set, as it had been
left in the cabin. She was actually in possession of nothing portable
except her clothes, some English magazines bought at Calais, and a handbag
which contained much money and many bonbons.

"He's done it on purpose," she said to Audrey as soon as Miss Ingate went
off to take tea in the tea-car. "I'm sure he's done it on purpose. He's
hidden himself, and he'll turn up when he thinks he's beaten me. D'you know
why I wouldn't bring that luggage away out of the cabin? Because we had a
quarrel about it, at the station, and he said things to me. In fact we
weren't speaking. And we weren't speaking last night either. The radiator
of his--our--car leaked, and we had to come home from the Coliseum in a
motor-bus. He couldn't get a taxi. It wasn't his fault, but a friend of
mine told me the day before I was married that a lady always ought to be
angry when her husband can't get a taxi after the theatre--she says it does