ise that," he answered, also rising to his feet.

They heard her maid moving about in the bedroom.

"Hortense is reminding me that I must dress for dinner," she remarked
with a faint smile. "One must dine, you know, even in the midst of
tragedies."

Macheson prepared to take his departure.

"I shall come to-morrow," he said, "if you do not send for me before."

CHAPTER XIV

BEHIND THE PALM TREES

Lady Peggy was fussing round the drawing-room, talking to all her guests
at once.

"I haven't the least idea who takes anybody in," she declared. "James
said he'd see to that, so you might just as well put your hand in a
lucky-bag. And I'm not at all sure that you'll get any dinner. I've got
a new _chef_--drives up in a high dogcart with such a sweet little
groom. He may be all right. Jules, the maitre d'hotel at Claridge's, got
him for me, and, Wilhelmina, sooner than come out like a ghost, I'd
really take lessons in the use of the rouge-pot. My new maid's a perfect
treasure at it. No one can ever tell whether my colour's natural or not.
I don't mind telling you people it generally isn't. But anyhow, it isn't
daubed on like Lady Sydney's--makes her look for all the world like one
of 'ces dames,' doesn't it? I'm sure I'd be afraid to be seen speaking
to her if I were a man. Gilbert," she broke off, addressing Deyes, who
was just being ushered in, "how dare you come to dinner without being
asked? I'm sure I have not asked you. Don't say I did, now. You refused
me eight times running, and I crossed you off my list."

Deyes held out a card as he bowed over his hostess's fingers.

"My dear lady," he said, "here is the proof that I am not an intruder. I
am down to take in our hostess of Thorpe!"

"You have bribed James," she declared. "I hope it cost you a great deal
of money. I will not believe that I asked you. However, since you are
here, go and tell Wilhelmina some of your stories. I hate pale cheeks,
and Wilhelmina blushes easily. No use looking at the clock, Duke. Dinner
will be at least half an hour late, I'm sure. These foreign _chefs_ have
no idea of punctuality. What's that? Dinner served! Two minutes before
time. Well, we're all here, aren't we? I knew it would be either too
early or too late. Duke, you will have to take me in. By the time we get
there the soup will probably be cold. You'd better pray that we're
starting with caviare and oysters! Such a slow crowd, aren't they--and
such chatterboxes!