“Well! It’s the same, Mother.”

Her inscrutable smile began to return and she leaned back with a sigh.

“To go straight to Albert’s house⁠—But it’ll be fun. It’ll be sport! I’m not going to take it seriously.⁠ ⁠… Aunt Mattie?⁠ ⁠… little Olwen?⁠ ⁠… goodness! But they must have come down in the world, if he lets out rooms to visitors⁠ ⁠… or did he invite me? Am I destined to be Albert Smith’s guest the first night I set foot in this place?”

“Did you and Father know him well?” enquired Wolf, as the bus swung round the corner by the ancient conduit.

“Your father knew Lorna well⁠—Albert’s minx of a wife. Lorna was even sillier about him than that idiot Selena.”

“What happened, Mother?”