326 The Discomfiture of Mrs. Trimmings 



the evening. Oh, by the way, you know Mrs. Trimmings, 

 don't you ? I need not introduce you ! ' 



The hapless Mrs. Trimmings, with a look of agony 

 on her face, tried to say something, but the words would 

 not come, and instead of the rapturous greeting that 

 might have been expected, Lucy, after glancing at her 

 husband — a look, the significance of which Mrs. Trim- 

 mings had the perception to understand perfectly — 

 bowed very coldly, and said in a tone which made Lady 

 Covertside look up in astonishment, ' I have — had the 

 pleasure of meeting Mrs. Trimmings once before.' 



The ' once ' sounded oddly, and the speaker's manner 

 showed plainly enough that the meeting had not been an 

 agreeable one. Lady Hilda's quick wits grasped the 

 situation, and the wretched Mrs. Trimmings, catching 

 her eye, felt that she knew. The arrival of guests 

 caused a diversion, however, and Mrs. Trimmings, limp 

 and miserable, was led to the dining-room. She did not 

 enjoy her dinner. How little we know what is going to 

 happen to us ! This was the evening for which she had 

 longed, and now that it bad come, it was about the most 

 wretched she had ever spent. Her neighbours tried her 

 with one or two remarks, but she made incoherent replies 

 which showed that she did not understand what was 

 said to her. As for the conference about the theatricals, 

 she had not an idea to utter, and at the earliest possible 

 opportunity she ordered her carriage. Lady Covertside 

 was conventionally polite, but said * Good night ' with 

 a cold severity which showed how little she really 

 desired that her guest might enjoy repose. Hilda bowed, 

 but determinedly avoided giving her hand ; Ethel de- 

 liberately walked to the other end of the long drawing- 

 room just as her turn to bid their visitor farewell was 



