They were so much at home that I, fearing to intrude, left rather early." "I believe the skirt-dancing frightened you away, Sir John," said Millicent merrily.
"Even old birds, my dear young lady, may sometimes be alarmed by a scarecrow." "I missed you quite early in the evening," put in Lady Cantourne, sternly refusing to laugh.

She had not had an opportunity of seeing him since her conversation with Jocelyn, and the dangers of the situation were fully appreciated by such an experienced woman of the world.
"They began to clear the upper end of the room," he explained, "and I assisted them in the most practical manner in my power." He was beginning to wonder why he had been invited--nay, almost commanded--to come, by an imperious little note.

And of late, whenever Sir John began to wonder he began also to feel old.

His fingers strayed towards his unsteady lips as if he were about to make one of those little movements of senile helplessness to which he sometimes gave way.
For a moment Lady Cantourne hesitated between two strokes of social diplomacy--but only for a moment.

She had heard the bell ring, and trusted that at the other end of the wire there might be one of those fatuous young men who nibbled at that wire like foolish fish round a gilt spoon-bait.