Lavendale admitted the fact and rose to welcome his hostess, who was coming down the stairs. She suddenly recognized Lavendale and stopped short. For the first time he was conscious of something which freed him from that sense of being part of a carefully concerted picture. There was something absolutely human, entirely spontaneous in his cousin's expression as she recognized him. Her fingers gripped the oak banisters, her lips were parted, her eyes were filled with something which was scarcely a welcoming light. It all passed in a moment and she came into the picture naturally and easily. 'My dear Ambrose, how delightful to see you again! Does Tony know? Lavendale advanced to meet her and took her hands. 'He asked me down for a few days only yesterday, when I met him in town, and I wired to say that I was coming to-day. I am afraid I didn't give him a chance to turn me down, but I meant to say, although he hasn't given me an opportunity yet, that if it's at all inconvenient I could go on to Norwich and look up some friends near there. For a single moment she hesitated. Her little laugh was not altogether natural. Again Lavendale had a queer fancy that there was a leaven of insincerity in her welcome--that if it had been possible she would even have sent him away. 'Don't be foolish, Ambrose. Of course we are delighted. I see you people have had tea,' she went on. 'I really couldn't resist a bath and tea-gown.' 'And I was much too lazy,' Lady Marsham yawned, lighting a cigarette. 'I shall go up and change early for dinner.' Mr. Silburn's voice was heard from the other end of the hall. He was dismissing the game-keeper with a few parting instructions. 'I'll have another covering stand at the long wood, Reynolds,' he was saying. 'You can put it on the extreme left, near the old oak. I'll take that myself, and Mr. Lavendale will shoot from number three. You've got your guns, Lavendale?' he added, strolling up to them. 'They are in the car,' Lavendale replied, 'but I warn you that I haven't shot for two years.' 'I don't think my pheasants will bother you any,' Mr. Silburn promised him. 'Barracombe here finds them on the slow side. We had a very good day to-day--over a thousand head altogether. Sure you won't have some tea or a whisky-and-soda?' 'Nothing, thanks.' 'Then I'll show you your rooms,' his host continued, 'if you'll come this way.' Lydia Silburn, who had been standing a little irresolutely on the other side of the round tea-table, suddenly turned towards her husband. 'Why didn't you tell me, Tony, that Ambrose was coming?' she inquired.