Could fortune have been kinder? Under what more favourable
circumstance could he possibly have renewed his relations with Miss
Derwent? Eustace, turning at the right moment, stood face to face
with Arnold Jacks, who presented his companion, then moved away. Had
he lingered, John Jacks' critical son would have found hints for
amused speculation in the scene that followed. For Eustace Derwent,
remembering, as always, what he owed to himself and to society,
behaved with entire politeness; only, like certain beverages
downstairs, it was iced. Otway did not immediately become aware of
this.

"I think we missed each other only by an hour or two, when you
brought Miss Derwent to Ewell. That very day, curiously, I was
lunching here."

"Indeed?" said Eustace, with a marble smile.

"Miss Derwent is here, I hope?" pursued Piers; not with any
offensive presumption, but speaking as he thought, rather
impetuously.

"I believe Miss Derwent is in the room," was the answer, uttered
with singular gravity and accompanied with a particularly freezing
look.

This time, Piers could not but feel that Eustace Derwent was
speaking oddly. In his peculiar condition, however, he thought it
only an amusing characteristic of the young man. He smiled, and was
about to continue the dialogue, when, with a slight, quick bow, the
other turned away.