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Rh affairs. So human and sympathetic. I’m sure our dear hostess told her all about her adventures at the Palace.”

There was only seven minutes left before the tram started, and though this was not a perfect opening, it would have to do. Besides, the Major saw Mrs. Plaistow coming energetically along the High Street with whirling feet.

“Yes, and we haven’t finished with&#8203;—&#8203;ha&#8203;—&#8203;royalty yet,” he said, getting the odious word out with difficulty. “The Prince of Wales will be passing through the town on Saturday, on his way to Ardingly Park, where he is spending the Sunday.”

Miss Mapp was not betrayed into the smallest expression of interest.

“That will be nice for him,” she said. “He will catch a glimpse of our beautiful Tilling.”

“So he will! Well, I’m off for my game of golf. Perhaps the Navy will be a bit more efficient to-day.”

“I’m sure you will both play perfectly!” said Miss Mapp.

Diva had “popped” into the grocer’s. She always popped everywhere just now; she popped across to see a friend, and she popped home again; she popped into church on Sunday, and occasionally popped up to town, and Miss Mapp was beginning to feel that somebody ought to let her know, directly or by insinuation, that she popped too much. So, thinking that an opportunity might present itself now, Miss Mapp read the news-board outside the stationer’s till Diva popped out of the grocer’s again. The headlines of news, even the largest of them, hardly reached her brain, because it entirely absorbed in another subject. Of course, the first thing was to find out by what train …

Diva trundled swiftly across the street.

“Good morning, Elizabeth,” she said. “You left the