It is always difficult to arrange a party of four ladies and five men.

She had suggested more than one other pleasant woman to make up the party to ten, but Varick had had some objection to each--the objection usually taking the line that the person proposed would not "get on" with the Burnabys.
Blanche again wondered why their host had been so determined to have Helen Brabazon at his first house-party, if her coming meant the inclusion of her tiresome uncle and aunt?
And then she felt a little ashamed of herself.

One of the best points about Lionel Varick was his sense of gratitude to anyone who had done him a good turn.

Gratitude had been the foundation of their own now many-year-long friendship.
The food was so very good, there was so much of it, and doubtless those who had journeyed down to Wyndfell Hall to-night were all so hungry, that there was rather less talk going on round the table than might have been expected.

But now and again the hostess caught a fleeting interchange of words.