some impatience as she scanned the landscape in search of Rose.

"Dear me, where has Rose gone to? and she knew how much I wanted to have
a talk with her before dinner. And I wanted to tell her not to let our
clergyman speak about incense and candles. He was more tiresome than
usual after Rose was here last time."

Mrs. Delaport Green tried to interject some civil remarks, but Lady
Groombridge paid not the slightest attention. The only visitors who
interested her in the least were Rose and Edmund Grosse. She could
hardly remember why she had invited Mrs. Delaport Green and Molly when
she met them in London, and Billy was always Lord Groombridge's guest.

"Well, if Rose won't come out of the wood, I suppose we may as well come
in, and perhaps you would like to see your room;" and, with an air of
resignation, she led the way.

She stood in the middle of a gorgeously-upholstered room of the date of
George IV., and looked fretfully round.

"Of course it is hideous, but I think if you have a good thing even of
the worst date it is best to leave it alone;" and then, with a gleam of
humour in her eye, she turned to Molly, "and whenever you feel your
taste vitiated (or whatever they call it nowadays) in your room next
door, you can always look out of the window, you know." And then,
speaking to Mrs. Delaport Green:

"We have no light of any sort or kind, and no bathrooms, but there are
plenty of candles, and I can't see why, with large hip baths and plenty
of water, people can't keep clean. Yes, dinner is at 8.15 sharp; I hope