He found her in the act of joining, with an air of vast condescension, a party of three; two of whom her stately salute had already frozen in their places.  These two, a slight perky man of middle age, and a frightened rustic-looking woman in homely black—­who, by the way, sat with her mouth, open and her knife and fork resting points upward on the table—­could do nothing but stare.  The third, a handsome girl, very simply dressed, returned her ladyship’s gaze with mingled interest and timidity.

My lady noticed this, and the girl’s elegant air and shape, and set down the other two for her duenna and her guardian’s man of business.  Aware that Sir George Soane had no sister, she scented scandal, and lost not a moment in opening the trenches.

‘And how far have you come to-day, child?’ she asked with condescension, as soon as she had taken her seat.

‘From Reading, madam,’ the girl answered in a voice low and restrained.  Her manner was somewhat awkward, and she had a shy air, as if her surroundings were new to her, But Lady Dunborough was more and more impressed with her beauty, and a natural air of refinement that was not to be mistaken.

‘The roads are insufferably crowded,’ said the peeress.  ’They are intolerable!’

‘I am afraid you suffered some inconvenience,’ the girl answered timidly.

At that moment Mr. Thomasson entered.  He treated the strangers to a distant bow, and, without looking at them, took his seat with a nonchalant ease, becoming a man who travelled with viscountesses, and was at home in the best company.  The table had his first hungry glance.  He espied roast and cold, a pair of smoking ducklings just set on, a dish of trout, a round of beef, a pigeon-pie, and hot rolls.  Relieved, he heaved a sigh of satisfaction.

‘’Pon honour this is not so bad!’ he said.  ’It is not what your ladyship is accustomed to, but at a pinch it will do.  It will do!’

He was not unwilling that the strangers should know his companion’s rank, and he stole a glance at them, as he spoke, to see what impression it made.  Alas! the deeper impression was made on himself.  For a moment he stared; the next he sprang to his feet with an oath plain and strong.

‘Drat the man!’ cried my lady in wrath.  He had come near to oversetting her plate.  ‘What flea has bitten you now?’

‘Do you know—­who these people are?’ Mr. Thomasson stammered, trembling with rage; and, resting both hands on the back of his chair, he glared now at them and now at Lady Dunborough.  He could be truculent where he had nothing to fear; and he was truculent now.

‘These people?’ my lady drawled in surprise; and she inspected them through her quizzing-glass as coolly as if they were specimens of a rare order submitted to her notice.  ’Not in the least, my good man.  Who are they?  Should I know them?’

‘They are—­’

But the little man, whose seat happened to be opposite the tutor’s, had risen to his feet by this time; and at that word cut him short.  ‘Sir!’ he cried in a flutter of agitation.  ’Have a care!  Have a care what you say!  I am a lawyer, and I warn you that anything defamatory will—­will be—­’