Lady Betty told me afterwards, when we were better acquainted, that it had amused her so to see how widely I could open my eyes when I was surprised.

I believe she did it out of pure mischief.
Our talk was happily interrupted by the appearance of Mrs.Barton and the tea-tray, which at once turned Lady Betty's thoughts into a new channel.
There was so much to do.

First she must help to arrange the table, and, as no one else could cut such thin bread-and-butter, she must try her hand at that.

Then Nap must have his tea before we touched ours; and when at last we did sit down she was praising the cake, and jumping up for the kettle, and waiting upon me 'because I was a dear good thing, and waited on poor people,' and coaxing me to take this or that as though I were her guest, and every now and then she paused to say 'how nice and cosy it was,' and how she was enjoying herself, and how glad she felt to miss that stupid dinner at Gladwyn, where no one talked but Giles and Etta, and Gladys sat as though she were half asleep, until she, Lady Betty, felt inclined to pinch them all.
We were approaching the dangerous subject again, but I warded it off by asking how she and her sister employed their time.
She made a little face at me, as though the question bothered her.

'Oh, I do things, and Gladys--does things,' rather lucidly.
'Well, but what things, may I ask ?' 'Why do you want to know ?' was the unexpected retort.