'By Jove, yes,' he exclaimed, pulling out his watch. 'Why, long past. I wonder what that fool--get up, little Love--' he brushed her off his lap--'I'll ring and find out what she means by it.' Lucy was sorry she had said anything about tea. However, he didn't keep his finger on the bell this time, but rang it normally. Then he stood looking at his watch. She put her arm through his. She longed to say, 'Please don't scold her.' 'Take care,' he said, his eyes on his watch. 'Don't shake me----' She asked what he was doing. 'Timing her,' he said. 'Sh--sh--don't talk. I can't keep count if you talk.' She became breathlessly quiet and expectant. She listened anxiously for the sound of footsteps. She did hope Lizzie would come in time. Lizzie was so nice,--it would be dreadful if she got a scolding. Why didn't she come? There--what was that? A door going somewhere. Would she do it? Would she? Running steps came along the passage outside. Wemyss put his watch away. 'Five seconds to spare,' he said. 'That's the way to teach them to answer bells,' he added with satisfaction. 'Did you ring, sir?' inquired Lizzie, opening the door. 'Why is tea late?' 'It's in the library, sir.' 'Kindly attend to my question. I asked why tea was late.' 'It wasn't late to begin with, sir,' said Lizzie. 'Be so good as to make yourself clear.' Lizzie, who had felt quite clear, here became befogged. She did her best, however. 'It's got late through waiting to be 'ad, sir,' she said. 'I'm afraid I don't follow you. Do you?' he asked, turning to Lucy. She started. 'Yes,' she said. 'Really. Then you are cleverer than I am,' said Wemyss. Lizzie at this--for she didn't want to make any more trouble for the young lady--made a further effort to explain. 'It was punctual in the library, sir, at 'alf-past four if you'd been there to 'ave it. The tea was punctual, sir, but there wasn't no one to 'ave it.' 'And pray by whose orders was it in the library?' 'I couldn't say, sir. Chesterton----' 'Don't put it on to Chesterton.' 'I was thinking,' said Lizzie, who was more stout-hearted than the parlourmaid and didn't take cover quite so frequently in dumbness, 'I was thinking p'raps Chesterton knew. I don't do the tea, sir.' 'Send Chesterton,' said Wemyss. Lizzie disappeared with the quickness of relief. Lucy, with a nervous little movement, stooped and picked up _Wuthering Heights_, which was still lying face downward on the floor. 'Yes,' said Wemyss. 'I like the way you treat books.' She put it back on its shelf. 'I went to sleep, and it fell down,' she said. 'Everard,' she went on quickly, 'I must go and get a handkerchief. I'll join you in the library.' 'I'm not going into the library. I'm going to have tea here. Why should I have tea in the library?' 'I only thought as it was there----' 'I suppose I can have tea where I like in my own house?' 'But of course. Well, then, I'll go and get a handkerchief and come back here.'