'Between them,' I said, 'I ought to have a very good time.' Mrs. Portheris dropped my hand. 'I feel,' she said, 'that I have done my part toward you; but remember, if ever you want a home, Miss Purkiss will take you in. When in doubt----' 'Play trumps!' said Mrs. Torquilin from the window, where she stood with her back to all of us. 'I always do. Is that your carriage waiting outside, Mrs. Cummers Portheris?' 'It is,' said my relation, betrayed into asperity. 'I hope you have no objection to it!' 'Oh, none--not the least. But the horses seem very restive.' 'Come, Miss Purkiss!' said my relation. 'The wine and biscuits, dear love,' said Miss Purkiss, 'are just arriving.' But Mrs. Portheris was bowing, with stately indefiniteness, to Mrs. Torquilin's back. 'Come, Miss Purkiss!' she commanded again. 'You can get a sandwich at the "A. B. C."' And Miss Purkiss arose and followed my relation, which was the saddest thing of all. As soon as they were well out of the room, Mrs. Torquilin turned round. 'I suppose you'll wonder about the why and wherefore of all this turn-up,' she said to me, her cheeks flushed and her eyes sparkling. 'It's a long story, and I'll tell you another time. But it comes to this in the end--that creature and I married into the same family. My husband and the late John Portheris, poor fellow, were step-brothers; and that old cat had the impudence--but there's no use going into it now. All I have to say is, she generally meets her match when she meets me. I'll put up with no hanky-panky work from Mrs. Cummers Portheris, my dear--and well she knows it!' 'It was certainly nice of you to help me out of the difficulty, Mrs. Torquilin,' I said, 'for I'd rather go anywhere than to Miss Purkiss's; but I'm sorry you had to----' 'Tell a tarradiddle? Not a bit of it, my dear--I meant it. Two are better than one, any day--I've plenty of room in my little flat, and if you like to share the expenses, I'll not object. At all events, we can but try it, and it will be showing very good feeling towards the Maffertons. I'm not a great hand for junketing, mind you, but we'll manage to amuse ourselves a little--a little giddy-goating does nobody any harm.'