"Oh, come and help me; no, please go and find Mr. Russell, he's mooning somewhere near by, I expect; for, do you know, I believe it's the _avant garde_ who have got impatient. I did beg Mr. Russell to answer the letters, but he wanted to tabulate. What will Aunt Dove say! Mrs. Hamilton, will you and Maud go back with Jim, or come in the drawing-room? There's only a few visitors. Who is there, Diggings?"
"Lady Southbourne and the Hon. Mr. Lang is there, miss, and a few more visitors besides the five persons."
Mrs. Hamilton was not partial to Lady Dove and much preferred going home in the motor, so Jim, who was on the spot, went off with alacrity.
Toney hurried towards the drawing-room. The five persons Diggings spoke of so disdainfully must be either a doctor, officer, clergyman, or relation of the above, and enjoying a bad quarter of an hour with Lady Dove.
She was not mistaken; as she entered she caught sight of five shabby genteel individuals, who were now evidently too much alarmed to do anything more than sit dejectedly in the enclosure of a window.
"Antonia!" said Lady Dove in her most severe voice, "I believe there are some persons here wishing to see you. Pray take them to your own room."
Toney wished with all her heart her _avante garde_ had not been shown into Lady Dove's presence, but now that they were here she would not for the world hustle them out. She might hurt their feelings, and they must consider that "something to their advantage" meant only a snubbing. She hid her despair with extra energy. How she hated social distinctions! The Honourable Edward came forward to greet her with great cordiality. His mother, more slowly, did the same. Toney felt a difficulty in introducing the _avante garde_, as she did not know one of their names. However she made a dash at Smith, hoping one of them would respond to the call.
"Oh, Mr. Lang, may I introduce Mr. Smith to you?" She seized on the meekest and saddest individual, who wore large spectacles and looked much depressed.
"My name is Dr. Harris," he said, raising himself to his full height. "The Rev. Smith you may mean," and he indicated an old clergyman wearing a threadbare coat, who also held the advertisement in his hand.