"Where Mrs. Gradinger leads, all must follow," said Miss Macdonnell.
"Take the sense of the meeting, Mrs. Sinclair, before the Marchesa
has time to enter a protest."

"And is the proposed instructress to have no voice in the matter?"
said the Marchesa, laughing.

"None at all, except to consent," said Mrs. Sinclair; "you are going
to be absolute mistress over us for the next fortnight, so you
surely might obey just this once."

"You have been denouncing one of our cherished institutions,
Marchesa," said Lady Considine, "so I consider you are bound to help
us to replace the British cook by something better."

"If Mrs. Sinclair has set her heart on this interesting experiment.
You may as well consent at once, Marchesa," said the Colonel, "and
teach us how to cook, and--what may be a harder task--to teach us
to eat what other aspirants may have cooked."

"If this scheme really comes off," said Sir John, "I would suggest
that the Marchesa should always be provided with a plate of her own
up her sleeve--if I may use such an expression--so that any void in
the menu, caused by failure on the part of the under-skilled or
over-ambitious amateur, may be filled by what will certainly be a
chef-d'oeuvre."

"I shall back up Mrs. Sinclair's proposition with all my power,"
said Mrs. Wilding. "The Canon will be in residence at Martlebridge