did. It is awkward for Ariadne, I admit, for Mother not going out, and

George being perfectly useless as a father, she has to do all her own asking.

That can't be helped, but Ariadne is always hasty and strikes while the iron is too hot. Simon Hermyre did _rather_ like her, but he wasn't quite sure that he actually wanted to take her on, and all that that means--and whether he liked her enough to risk making Lady Scilly angry about it, as of course she would be. At all events he didn't come--his chief kept him in till six o'clock every day, or some excuse of that sort. As if a man couldn't always manage a call if he wanted to, even if he were third secretary to some one in the planet Mars!