"Not I," answered Charlotte. "It was bore enough to have them in the drawing-room afterwards. Only a few of them came in. As to your husband, I never set eyes upon him at all." "He came home early. I think his head ached. He----" "Oh, he did come home, then!" interrupted Charlotte. Maria looked surprised. "Of course he came home. Why should he not?" "How should I know why?" was Charlotte's answer. "This house has the bother of it to-night, I hear. It _is_ nothing but a bother, a gentleman's dinner-party!" "It is a sort of business party to-night, I believe," observed Maria. "Verrall is coming. He told me so. Do you know how Mr. Godolphin is?" "He seems as well as usual. He has come to-day, and I saw him for a minute. George told me that he did not appear at dinner yesterday. Margery----" A commotion in the street. Charlotte flew to one of the windows, opened it, and stretched herself out. But she could not see the carriage, which was then in Crosse Street. A mob was collecting and shouting. "I suppose I had better go. That stupid man never can keep horses in good humour, if they have any spirit. Good-bye, Mrs. George Godolphin." She ran down to the hall door, giving no time for a servant to show her out. Maria proceeded to her boudoir, which looked into Crosse Street, to see whether anything was the matter. Something might have been, but that George Godolphin, hearing the outcry, had flown out to the aid of the servant. The man, in his fear--he was a timid man with horses, and it was a wonder Charlotte kept him--had got _out_ of the carriage. George leaped into it, took the reins and the whip, and succeeded in restoring the horses to what Charlotte called good humour. Maria's heart beat when she saw her husband there: she, like the man, was timid. George, however, alighted unharmed, and stood talking with Charlotte. He was without his hat. Then he handed Charlotte in, and stood looking up and talking to her again, the seat being about a mile above his head. Charlotte, at any rate, had no fear; she nodded a final adieu to George, and drove away at a fast pace, George gazing after her.