se--"

"Bah!" She flicked her eyelids impatiently. I realised at that moment
that she could not move her head, and it gave me a keener realisation of
her state than I had had before. "Bah! It is all the same. I want
nothing from my friends now that they did not give me a month ago. If I
have to be on my back instead of walking about, it is no affair of
theirs. I neither ask nor desire their commiseration. The kindest
thing they can do is to leave me alone."

I thought of the old days when she was well and strong, and could run
about as she liked, and how bored she was after a few days of quiet home
life. How could she bear the long weeks and months stretched out
motionless on a couch, with none of her merry friends to cheer her and
distract her thoughts. The old Vere could not have borne it, but this
was a new Vere whom I had never seen before. I felt in the dark
concerning her and her actions.

We talked it over at tea that afternoon, Rachel and Will and I. He came
to call, so Mr Greaves sent up a polite message that he preferred to
remain in his own room, and, of course, his poor wife had to stay, too,
so for once we young people were alone. I was a little embarrassed at
being number three with a pair of lovers, as any nice-minded person
would be. I did all I could for them--I pretended to be tired, and said
I thought I'd better be wheeled back to my room, and I made faces at
Rachel behind Will's back to show what I meant, but she only smiled, and
he said--

"I can see you, Babs, and it's not becoming! We have no secrets to talk
about, and would much rather have you with us, wouldn't we, Rachel?"

"Of course you are to stay, Una dear; don't say another word about it,"
Rachel answered kindly, but that wasn't exactly answering his question.
She was too honest to say that she would rather have me there, and I
don't think she quite liked his saying so, either, for she was even
quieter than usual for the next five minutes. Then Will began to talk
about Vere, and of Mr Carstairs' anxiety, and father's distress about
her state of mind. He seemed to think that she did not realise what was
before her, but Rachel and I knew better than that, and assured him that
he need fear no rude awakening.

"Vere is not one of the people who deceive themselves for good or bad.
She is very shrewd and far-seeing, and, though she may not say anything
about it, I know she has thought of every single little difficulty and