'A nice way she does her duty as chaperone!'

'Dear, Hyacinth's twenty-three, not a child. Miss Yeo's her companion;
but she can't insist, even if she wants to, on following Hyacinth about
if she doesn't wish it.'

'She should wish it. Seriously, do you think Sir Charles knows of these
goings-on--I mean of this conduct?'

'I shouldn't think he knew the details.'

'Then isn't it my duty as a married man and father of a family--'

Edith concealed a smile by moving the screen.

'To communicate with him on the subject?'

Edith had a moment's terror. It struck her that if she opposed him,
Bruce was capable of doing it. He often wrote letters beginning, 'Sir, I
feel it my duty,' to people on subjects that were no earthly concern of
his. If he really did anything of this sort, Hyacinth would never
forgive her.

After a second's concentration of mind, she said mildly--

'Perhaps you had better, if you really feel it your duty. Of course, I'd
rather you didn't, personally. But if that's how you feel about it--'

Bruce wheeled round at once.