Envoy Extraordinary by E. Phillips Oppenheim

Ronald St. Jermyn, Earl of Matresser, made his unwilling bow that night to a phase of life entirely strange to him and which he had, up till now, sedulously avoided. His first shock came at the dinner-party at Tring House before the official reception. In obedience to the card which had been thrust into his hand at the last moment, Matresser was wearing his war medals, but though they made a brave show enough, their simplicity seemed almost ironic when contrasted with the number of orders and decorations of every country worn by the foreigners, and even by two of the English cabinet ministers. His hostess, who had been thoroughly warned as to Matresser's peculiarities and who had placed him upon her left hand, attempted only general conversation, but his neighbour on the other side, the Marchioness of Tewkesbury, a society beauty with the reputation of being a brilliant conversationalist, a little piqued by this dark, handsome man, with the somewhat saturnine expression, whose speech seemed to be conceived rather with the idea of stifling than inciting conversation, indulged in no such reticence.

"They tell me, Lord Matresser," she began, "that although you so seldom speak in the House of Lords, and you seem somehow to keep out of print in the most miraculous manner, you are really a very great traveller, with many adventures concerning which you never open your mouth."