There were tears in Adela’s eyes.

’Mother, now it is you who are unkind.  I am so sorry that I spoke.  You won’t take my words as they were meant.  Must I say that I cannot let Mr. Mutimer misunderstand the way in which.  I regard him?  He comes here really so very often, and if we begin to go there too—.  People are talking about it, indeed they are; Letty has told me so.  How can I help feeling pained?’

Mrs. Waltham drew out her handkerchief and appeared mildly agitated.  When Adela bent and kissed her she sighed deeply, then said in an undertone of gentle melancholy: 

’I ask your pardon, my dear.  I am afraid there has been a little misunderstanding on both sides.  But we won’t talk any more of it—­there, there!’

By which the good lady of course meant that she would renew the subject on the very earliest opportunity, and that, on the whole, she was not discouraged.  Mothers are often unaware of their daughters’ strong points, but their weaknesses they may be trusted to understand pretty well.

The little scene was just well over, and Adela had taken a seat by the window, when a gentleman who was approaching the front door saw her and raised his hat.  She went very pale.

The next moment there was a knock at the front door.

‘Mother,’ the girl whispered, as if she could not speak louder, ’it is Mr. Eldon.’

‘Mr. Eldon?’ Mrs. Waltham drew herself up with dignity, then started from her seat.  ‘The idea of his daring to come here!’

She intercepted the servant who was going to open the door.

‘Jane, we are not at home!’

The maid stood in astonishment.  She was not used to the polite fictions of society; never before had that welcome mortal, an afternoon visitor, been refused at Mrs. Waltham’s.

‘What did you say, please, mum?’

‘You will say that we are not at home, neither I nor Miss Waltham.’

Even if Hubert Eldon had not seen Adela at the window he must have been dull not to read the meaning of the servant’s singular face and tone.  He walked away with a quiet ‘Thank you.’

Mrs. Waltham cast a side glance at Adela when she heard the outer door close.  The girl had reopened her book.

’I’m not sorry that he came.  Was there ever such astonishing impudence?  If that is gentlemanly, then I must confess I—­Really I am not at all sorry he came:  it will give him a lesson.’

‘Mr. Eldon may have had some special reason for calling,’ Adela remarked disinterestedly.

’My dear, I have no business of any kind with Mr. Eldon, and it is impossible that he can have any with me.’

Adela very shortly went from the room.