The twins had gone round the house by this time, and presently Diavolo appeared in the drawing room alone. His thick fair hair stood out round his head like a rumpled mop: his face and hands were not immaculate, and his clothes were creased; but he entered the room with the same courtly yet diffident air and high-bred ease which distinguished his uncle Dawne, whom he imitated as well as resembled in most things. He took his seat beside him now, and remarked that it was a nice day, and-- But before he could finish the affable phrase, the door burst open from without, and Angelica entered. "Hollo! Are you all here?" she said. "How are you, Uncle Dawne?" "I wish you would not be so impetuous," Diavolo remonstrated gently. "You quite startle one." "You _are_ a coon!" said Angelica. "My dear child--" Lady Angeline began. "Well, mamma, no matter _what_ I do, Diavolo grumps at me," Angelica snapped. "What expressions you use!" sighed Lady Adeline. Angelica plumped down on the arm of her uncle's chair, and hugged him round the head with one hand. She smelt overpoweringly strong of hay and hot weather, but he patiently endured the caress, which was over in a moment as it happened, for Angelica caught sight of her cat lurking under a sofa opposite, and bending down double, whistled to it. Then she turned her attention to a huge slice of bread, butter, and jam she held in her hand. Diavolo's soul appeared in his face and shone out of his eyes when she bit it. "Have some?" said Angelica, going over to him, and edging him half off his chair so as to make room for herself beside him. She held the bread and butter to his mouth as she spoke, and they finished it together, bite and bite about. "Now I am ready for tea," said Angelica when they had done. "So am I," said Diavolo, with a sigh of satisfaction. "Let us have afternoon tea with you here to-day, Mr. Ellis," Angelica coaxed. "It's so much more sociable. And I want to talk to Mr. Kilroy." She jumped up in her impetuous way, plumped down again on a low stool in front of that gentleman, clasped her hands round her knees, and looked up in his face as she spoke. "That's a nice place you've got at--" she was beginning, but Mr. Ellis interrupted her by throwing up his head and ejaculating "Grammar!" "_Bother_!" Angelica exclaimed testily. "Now you've put me all out. Oh!--I was going to say _you have_ a nice place at Ilverthorpe. We were over there the other day and inspected it." "Very happy--glad, I am sure, you did not stand upon ceremony," Mr. Kilroy answered. But this politeness seemed altogether superfluous to Angelica, and she did not therefore acknowledge it in any way. "I suppose you will go into Parliament now," she pursued. Mr. Kilroy looked surprised. The idea had occurred to him lately, but he was not aware of having mentioned it to anyone.