Peppino had noticed, but the fact of his using spectacles at all was a
secret that would have to be profoundly kept for several years yet. But
as there was no one at all near him, he stealthily adjusted them on his
small straight nose. The morning train from town had evidently come in,
for there was a bustle of cabs about the door of the Ambermere Arms,
and a thing that thrilled him to the marrow was the fact that Lady
Ambermere's motor was undoubtedly among them. That must surely mean
that Lady Ambermere herself was here, for when poor thin Miss Lyall,
her companion, came in to Riseholme to do shopping, or transact such
business as the majestic life at The Hall required, she always came on
foot, or in very inclement weather in a small two-wheeled cart like a
hip-bath. At this moment, steeped in conjecture, who should appear,
walking stiffly, with her nose in the air, as if suspecting, and not
choosing to verify, some faint unpleasant odour, but Lady Ambermere
herself, coming from the direction of The Hurst.... Clearly she must
have got there after Peppino had left, or he would surely have
mentioned the fact that Lady Ambermere had been at The Hurst, if she
_had_ been at The Hurst. It is true that she was only coming from
the direction of The Hurst, but Georgie put into practice, in his
mental processes Darwin's principle, that in order to observe usefully,
you must have a theory. Georgie's theory was that Lady Ambermere had
been at The Hurst just for a minute or two, and hastily put his
spectacles in his pocket. With the precision of a trained mind he also
formed the theory that some business had brought Lady Ambermere into
Riseholme, and that taking advantage of her presence there, she had
probably returned a verbal answer to Lucia's invitation to her
garden-party, which she would have received by the first post this
morning. He was quite ready to put his theory to the test when Lady
Ambermere had arrived at the suitable distance for his conveniently
observing her, and for taking off his hat. She always treated him like