capable agent: an extra week's absence could make little difference;
moreover, previous statements had made it plain that he had originally
intended to stay for some considerable time in town. Plain, therefore,
as print, and impossible to misunderstand was the fact that he did not
_want_ to accompany his friends on their holiday; that in addition he
did not for the moment desire more of their company in town.

Bridgie raised her head: she was smiling, a bright, unaffected,
_relieved-looking_ smile.

"There's no end to the work on a big estate. The Major--my father--used
to say that every man was his own best bailiff, though he made a fine
muddle of it himself, poor darling! But my brother Jack agrees with
him. He's educated Miles to look after the Irish property, and so does
Geoffrey Hilliard. ... It's true he is away half his time--"

At the best of times Bridgie was scarcely a special pleader, and to-day
she seemed no sooner to make a statement than she contradicted it
straight away. She mumbled vaguely, and relapsed into silence.

"Of course we won't take your car. You will need it for your business
excursions!" Pat said icily. "We are very much indebted to you for
letting us have the use of it here. It's been of great service, hasn't
it, Pixie?"

"It has! I don't know what we'd have done without it. We _are_
grateful," agreed Pixie warmly. Her voice out of all the four was the
only one which rang true; her eyes smiled across the room with
unembarrassed friendliness. Nevertheless Bridgie, looking on, felt a
cramp of pain. How much older Pixie had grown in appearance! The lines
of strain and repression over which she had sighed more than once before
now had surely deepened during the last weeks! Anxiety, no doubt, the
strain of nursing--Bridgie comforted herself as best she might, but no
explanation could take away the pang which the mother heart feels at the
sight of pain on a young face!

"Come, Pixie," she said, rising, "we'll make tea! I promised Pat potato
cakes as soon as the doctor allowed them, and that's to-day. We'll have
a feast!--"

"Leave them to themselves," she said confidingly to Pixie when the
kitchen was reached. "They'll shake down better without us. Pat's
fractious; he always was from a child when he was crossed, but the
potato cakes will soothe him. I'm sorry for Mr Glynn. Really, you
know, dear, Pat's _exacting_!"

"'Deed he is. It's no wonder he is tired of it.