"How do you do, Sir Oliver," Margaret replied obediently. She was a comely enough girl with candid blue eyes and rather ordinary features. Her brown hair had been elaborately curled for the occasion. It probably became her better in its natural state, but an opportunity such as this was not to be wasted by informality. No artifice for glamour was left untried.

"How do you do, Miss Ballinger," Rathbone said civilly. He hated these forced conversations and wished more than ever that he had refused to come across with FitzRobert. Nothing he could possibly learn about Barton Lambert or his daughter would compensate for the awkwardness of it. In fact, it would be of no use whatever, because he did not intend to take Killian Melville's case, should it arise. It was Melville's own fault he was in this predicament, and he should use his common sense to get himself out of it, or else abide the consequences, which were more than likely to be only the same as those experienced by the majority of men in the world. Zillah Lambert was most attractive and would come with a handsome dowry. Left to his own choice he might well do very much worse.

"And my younger daughter, Julia," Mrs. Ballinger was saying to him.

"How do you do, Miss Julia." Rathbone inclined his head towards her. She was no prettier than her sister and had the same frank, almost amused stare.

"Did you attend the concert at Lady Thorpe's house yesterday evening?" Mrs. Ballinger was asking Mrs. Lambert. "We went for Margaret's sake. She is so fond of music, and of course is a most accomplished violinist, if I do say so myself." She turned to Rathbone with a bright smile. "Are you fond of music, Sir Oliver?"

Rathbone wanted to lie and say he was tone-deaf. He saw the eagerness in Mrs. Ballinger's face and the embarrassment in Margaret's. She must feel as if she were bloodstock being paraded in front of a prospective buyer. It was not far from the truth.