Tea 4.30.


There was a chorus of approval round the Dobsons' breakfast-table.

* * * * *

Lady Whigham's concert went off with great _eclat_.

It was attended by many ladies, of whom one was a dowager countess, but
there were also a bishop and a midshipman. The last had a bad cold and
kept on blowing his nose during the performance of the soprano, a lady of
strange appearance, said to be a Serbian refugee of noble origin.

Joan did not enjoy the concert as much as the others. She said the
pianoforte playing was very indifferent--she wondered what Captain
Leclerc, who sat in the front row next to Clara Whigham, thought of it.

* * * * *

The 28th was fixed for the concert at Mrs. Dobson's. Joan would have
liked to write to Jack Leclerc and ask him to recommend the artists, but
she wasn't sure how he would take it, and besides, she did not know his
address. Of course she could have asked Clara, but somehow she did not
like to.

As Lady Whigham had specially asked Mrs. Dobson to engage performers she
was interested in, there was no difficulty and the day of the concert
arrived.