s in
English? but there's some of us can do no wrong."

"French sounds so much more refined," said Catherine firmly.

CHAPTER XVIII

Inaction was hard on Lawrence. He hated it: and he was not used
to it: his impulse was to go direct to Wanhope and break down the
door: but it was not to be done. When he reached the vicarage
Mr. Stafford had gone out after an early lunch to take a wedding
in Countisford, while Val had been obliged to ride over to a
neighbouring farm. Leaving Laura to Isabel, who startled him by
her cool "So Major Clowes has done it at last?" he hurried down
to the post office to telephone to Selincourt (aware on his way
that every eye was staring at him: no doubt the tale was already
on every lip), but Selincourt too was out, and he had to be
content with despatching colourless duplicate telegrams to his
rooms and club. From a hint let fall during the night he was
aware that no more than the most laconic wire would be needed,
but he fretted under the delay, which meant that Selincourt could
not arrive before six o'clock. After that he would have liked to
go to Wharton, but dared not, for, though Jack's grandfather was
what Yvonne called a Romantic, the Grantchesters were old-fashioned
straightlaced people who had better not hear of the scandal till it
was over. No, till Selincourt and Val appeared there was no more to
be done, and Lawrence, returned to the vicarage and flung himself
into a chair to wait. He dreaded inaction: inaction meant thought:
and thought meant such bitter realities as he knew not how to stand
up against: but what he liked or disliked was no longer to the point.

In that easy-going household, where comfort was obtained at the
expense of appearances, there was always a diningroom fire in
cold weather, and on this September morning the glow of the
flames had a lulling effect. Dead tired, he dropped asleep, to
be roused by the feeling that there was some one in the room.
There was, it was Isabel; and in the drugged heaviness that
follows daylight slumber Hyde simply held out his arms to her in
oblivion of last night. "Oh, oh!" said Isabel smiling at him
and touching his palms with the tips of her fingers, "were you
dreaming of me?" Hyde drew back, a deep flush covering his face.
What had changed Isabel? she was pure fascination. "I've been
watching you a long time while you were asleep. I thought you
would never wake. You're so, so tired! Here's a cup of coffee