You'd far
better stay and see Dick; don't you think so?'
He shook his head and still moved towards the door.
'Mr. Keene!' Alice raised her voice. 'Please do as I tell you. It
isn't my fault, and I don't see why you should pay no heed to me all
at once. Will you attend to me, Mr. Keene?'
'What do you wish me to do?' he asked, only half turning.
'To go and see Mrs. Mutimer in the garden, and accept her invitation
to dinner.'
'I haven't got a dress-suit,' he groaned.
'No matter. If you go away I'll never speak to you again, and you
know you wouldn't like that.'
He gazed at her miserably--his face was one which lent itself to a
miserable expression, and the venerable appearance of his frockcoat
and light trousers filled in the picture of mishap.
'Have you been joking with me?'
'No, I've been telling you the truth. But that's no reason why you
should break loose all at once. Please do as I tell you; go to the
garden now and stop to dinner. I am not accustomed to ask a thing
twice.'
She was almost serious. Keene smiled in a sickly way, bowed, and
went to do her bidding.
CHAPTER XX
Among the little girls who had received invitations to the tea-party
were two named Rendal, the children of the man whose dismissal from
New Wanley had been announced by Mutimer.
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