said Lady Kedrington. “I must thank you for inviting Mr. Campbell to dinner tonight. Carey is taking Elena to the theater—happily, there is some famous Greek tragedy being enacted at Drury Lane—and therefore I need not invite Mr. Melville, and we may have a pleasant evening amongst ourselves.” Kedrington kissed the top of his wife’s head and then stepped back to regard her quizzically. She was seated at her writing desk, pen in hand and engagement calendar before her, looking the picture of a society hostess in a white cap and a morning dress of striped India muslin, with a lace fichu tied over her shoulders. “If I understand you correctly,” he ventured, “I have been lucky to choose tonight to invite Robin to dinner, as Elena will not be with us and you therefore need not invite her guardian to bore us at dinner.” “Isn’t that what I said?” “I’m sure you intended to, but occasionally I must test myself to see if I can still interpret your meaning without translation.”
