“Michael comes this evening.”

“I am glad; I am particularly fond of Michael.  Also he will play to us after dinner, and though I don’t know one note from another, it will relieve me of sitting in a stately circle watching Robert cheat at patience.  I always find the evenings here rather trying; they remind me of being in church.  I feel as if I were part of a corporate body, which leads to misplaced decorum.  Ah! there is the sound of Tony’s retreating motor; his strategic movement has come off.  And now give me some news, if you can get in a word.  Dear me, there is Robert coming back across the lawn.  What a mercy that Tony did not leave the motor.  Robert always walks as if he was dancing a minuet.  Look, there is Og imitating him!  Or is he stalking him, thinking he is an enemy.  Og, come here!”

She whistled shrilly on her fingers, and rose to greet her brother, whom Og was still menacing, as he advanced towards her with staccato steps.  Barbara, however, got between Og and his prey, and threw her parasol at him.

“My dear, how are you?” she said.  “And how did the golf go?  And did you beat the professional?”

He suspected flippancy here, and became markedly dignified.

“An excellent match,” he said, “and Macpherson tells me I played a very sound game.  I am delighted to see you, Barbara.  And did Michael come down with you?”

“No.  I drove from town.  It saves time, but not expense, with your awful trains.”

“And you are well, and Mr. Jerome?” he asked.  He always called his brother-in-law Mr. Jerome, to indicate the gulf between them.  Barbara gave a little spurt of laughter.

“Yes, his excellency is quite well,” she said.  “You must call him excellency now, my dear.”

“Indeed!  That is a great step.”

“Considering that Tony began as an office-boy.  How richly rewarding you are, my dear.  And shan’t I make an odd ambassadress!  I haven’t been to a Court since the dark ages, when I went to those beloved States.  We will practise after dinner, dear, and you and Marion shall be the King and Queen, and I will try to walk backwards without tumbling on my head.  You will like being the King, Robert.  And then we will be ourselves again, all except Og, who shall be Tony and shall go out of the room before you.”

He gave his treble little giggle, for on the whole it answered better not to be dignified with Barbara, whenever he could remember not to be; and Lady Ashbridge, still nursing Petsy, threw a bombshell of the obvious to explode the conversation.

“Og has two mutton-chops for his dinner,” she said, “and he is growing still.  Fancy!”

Lord Ashbridge took a refreshing glance at the broad stretch of country that all belonged to him.

“I am rather glad to have this opportunity of talking to you, my dear Barbara,” he said, “before Michael comes.”

“His train gets in half an hour before dinner” said Lady Ashbridge.  “He has to change at Stoneborough.”