'And so do I. It's very charming. But a change, dear--a change of
_entourage_, as we say abroad, would do you good.'

'Well, we must really think that out,' said Edith.

'That's right. And you're not cross?'

'Cross? I don't know when I've enjoyed a conversation so much,' said
Edith, speaking with perfect truth.



CHAPTER V

The Ottleys and Madame Frabelle were in the drawing-room awaiting their
guests. (I say advisedly their guests, for no-one could help regarding
Madame Frabelle as essentially the hostess, and queen of the evening.)
One would fancy that instead of entertaining more or less for the last
twelve years the young couple had never given a dinner before; so much
suppressed excitement was in the air. Bruce was quiet and subdued now
from combined nervousness and pride, but for the few days previous he
had been terribly trying to his unfortunate wife; nothing, according to
him, could be good enough for the purpose of impressing Madame Frabelle,
and he appeared to have lost all his confidence in Edith's undeniable
gift for receiving.

The flowers, the menu, the arrangement of the eight people--for the
dinner was still small, intimate and distinguished, as he had first
suggested--had been subjected to continual and maddening changes in its
scheme. Everyone had been disengaged and everyone had accepted--then he