"Shall I be acceptable?" he said. "Perhaps I had better go back and look for the others. I suppose they are in the billiard-room."
"No, no; stay where you are," said Lady Pentreath. "They were all getting tired of me; let us hear what _you_ have to say."
"That is rather an embarrassing appeal," said Deronda, drawing up a chair near Lady Mallinger's elbow at the tea-table. "I think I had better take the opportunity of mentioning our songstress," he added, looking at Lady Mallinger--"unless you have done so."

"Shall I be acceptable?" he said. "Perhaps I had better go back to the others in the billiard-room."
"No, no; stay where you are," said Lady Pentreath. "Let us hear what you have to say."
"That is rather an embarrassing appeal," said Deronda, drawing up a chair. "I think I had better take the opportunity of mentioning our songstress," he added, looking at Lady Mallinger- "unless you have done so."
