‘Certainly,’ replied Mrs. Willoughby, and she set some envelopes and paper on the table.  Clarice wrote a few lines and tore them up.  She repeated the process on four sheets of note-paper, and as she was beginning the fifth attempt the door was opened and the servant announced that Mr. Conway was waiting in the drawing-room.  Clarice tore up the fifth sheet and rose from her chair.  ’I can write it when I get home,’ she said.

‘Percy Conway!’ said Mrs. Willoughby when the door was closed again.  ‘What a funny thing!  He’s not in the habit of visiting me.’

‘The fact is,’ said Clarice, without the least embarrassment, as she pinned on her hat, ’I asked him to call for me here.  You don’t mind, do you?’

‘Clarice!’ exclaimed Mrs. Willoughby.  She stared at the girl, noticing the traces of tears still visible on her face, and then she began to laugh.

‘Connie!’ said Miss Le Mesurier, and her tone showed that she was hurt.  ‘You are unsympathetic.’

‘I can’t help it,’ cried Mrs. Willoughby, and she laughed yet louder.  ’I can’t help it, dear!’

‘You can’t imagine how lonely I have felt since—­’

‘Since yesterday,’ cried Mrs. Willoughby, and her laughter increased.  ‘Clarice, you’ll be the death of me.’

Clarice stood gazing at her patiently, her face grave with reproach, until Mrs. Willoughby succeeded in composing herself to a fitting seriousness.  But for all her efforts her mouth worked, and the dimples appeared and vanished in her cheeks, and a little ripple of laughter now and again escaped from her lips.

‘Really,’ said Clarice, ‘I am disappointed in you, Connie.’

‘I know it was out of place, dear,’ said Mrs. Willoughby with humility, but nevertheless her voice shook as she spoke.  Fearing another access she began, as a resource, to lecture Clarice upon the impropriety of making appointments with young gentlemen at other people’s houses.  The lecture, however, was received with disdain.

‘That seems to me still more out of place,’ said Clarice.

‘Well, we had better go into the drawing-room to Mr. Conway,’ said Mrs. Willoughby.

Clarice was indeed excessively indignant with Mrs. Willoughby, for she was in the habit herself of treating her feelings with a tender solicitude, and consequently disliked the want of respect shown to them by her friend.  She betrayed the extent of her indignation by a proportionately excessive friendliness towards Conway that afternoon.  He was allowed to conduct her to four picture galleries, and a Panopticon museum of tortures; his offer to refresh her with tea in Bond Street was shyly accepted, and at parting he was thanked with effusion, ’for the pleasantest afternoon she had spent for some time.’