"Good morning, Jessica. I hope everything is all right with you? I just wanted a word with you about to-night. You're wearing your wedding frock of course?" "Oh, do you want me to? I meant to wear my yellow georgette. I thought the wedding frock would be too dressed up just for a family party." "I hardly think so, Jessica. After all the dinner is for you, and I think it would be a nice little courtesy to wear your gold tissue." "Is the party really for me? How awful!" This time it was Mrs. Rodney who maintained a silence of sheer annoyance. "I don't mean 'awful' of course, I only mean rather frightening." Jessica's voice was anxious as if she were conscious of having offended, but Mrs. Rodney replied briskly and coldly: "There's no need to be frightened. It's very foolish of you. We only want to welcome you into the family." "Thank you very much; of course I'll wear my gold." "Well, we'll see you this evening then and don't be late. Grannie likes dinner to be very punctual. By the way, Jessica, you really must train your maid to answer the telephone properly." A faint gasp fluttered along the wire. "Oh must I? I don't know how to." "It's perfectly easy. You've only got to tell her exactly what to say when she takes the receiver off, and incidentally you might remind her to call you Mrs. Hugh, there are too many of us all to be Mrs. Greenes." "I'll try, but it's terribly difficult. She is so much older and more severe than I am." "I see I'll have to take you in hand a little my dear, but never mind now. Good-bye till to-night." The faintly perturbed frown was still on Mrs. Rodney's face as she rang up Helen, and it deepened when a polite voice answered her request to speak to Mrs. Geoffrey. "I'm sorry, Madam, but Mrs. Geoffrey is engaged in her studio, and gave orders that she wasn't to be disturbed before eleven." "But it's Mrs. Rodney Greene speaking." "Could you ring up again in about half an hour, Madam, or shall I ask Mrs. Geoffrey to ring you?" "No, I'll leave it now." "Thank you Madam." The polite voice died away, and Mrs. Rodney petulantly pushed the telephone aside as her husband came into the room. "Nothing wrong, Edith, I hope?" he asked, noticing her look of irritation. "No, nothing, thank you, dear. Only sometimes I get a little cross with all the children's airs and graces." "I shouldn't let them worry you. You've got enough to do without bothering over them. The car's here and I'm just starting to fetch Mother. We ought to be back in good time for lunch, and by the way dear, do you think we ought to send the car for Dora to-night?" Edith raised her eyebrows. "I've arranged to do that of course," she said in a slightly pained voice, "I'm just going to ring up Dora and let her know." "Splendid; that's quite all right. Well I must be off now. Good-bye." "Good-bye, Rodney. Be sure the warm rug is in the car for your Mother."