Lady Sykes said the next morning over breakfast. “And not even a written reply, when I made a point of writing ‘RSVP’ on the bottom of the cards. Just what one would expect of a housekeeper, but I own I am surprised a schoolmistress from Miss Prism’s Academy does not know the proper way to reply to an invitation. I have had a written answer from Mr. Parker, you see,” she said, holding up a note. Swann frowned at this. “Why did you invite Parker?” he asked. Parker was a schoolteacher, and therefore a potential competitor for Miss Lonsdale’s hand. “I needed another gentleman to round out the table. I invited Mrs. Rogers, from Bibury. She has had me to tea twice. One must repay social obligations, Scawen.” “She has not had me to tea!” Lady Sykes always repaid her social obligations on the backs of her friends when she could. Scawen began counting up numbers on his fingers. “You are out in your reckoning,” he said. “We have four ladies without Mrs. Rogers.” Lady Sykes was very seldom out in her ciphering.
