us."

Jan turned and stared at her sister. "Mr. Ledgard's flat!" she
repeated. "And what is he doing?"

"He's living at the club just now. He turned out when we came. Don't
look at me like that, Jan.... There was nothing else to be done."

Jan came back and sat on the edge of the big sofa. "But I understood
Hugo's letter to say...."

"Whatever Hugo said in his letter was probably lies. If Peter hadn't
lent us his flat, I should have had nowhere to lay my head. Who do you
suppose would let us a flat here, after all that has happened, unless we
paid in advance, and how could we do that without any ready money? Why,
a flat like this unfurnished costs over three hundred rupees a month. I
don't know what a furnished flat would be."

"But--isn't it ... taking a great deal from Mr. Ledgard?" Jan asked
timidly.

Fay stretched out her hand and suddenly switched off the lights, so that
they were left together on the big sofa in the soft darkness.

"Give me your hand, Jan. I shall be less afraid of you when I just feel
you and can't see you."

"Why should you be afraid of me?... Dear, dear Fay, you must remember
how little I really know. How can I understand?"

Fay leant against her sister and held her close. "Sometimes I feel as if
I couldn't understand it all myself. But you mustn't worry about Peter's
flat. We'll all go home the minute I can be moved. He doesn't mind,
really ... and there was nothing else to be done."

"Does Hugo know you are here?"

Fay laughed, a sad, bitter little laugh. "It was Hugo who asked Peter to
lend his flat."

"Then what about his servants? What has he done with them while you are
here?"

"These are his servants."

"But Hugo said...."

"Jan, dear, it is no use quoting Hugo to me. I can tell you the sort of
thing he would say.... Did he mention Peter at all?"

"Certainly not. He said you were 'installed in a most comfortable flat'
and had brought your own servants."

"I brought Ayah--naturally, Peter hadn't an ayah. But why do you object
to his servants? They're very good."

"But don't they think it ... a little odd?"

"Oh, you can't bother about what servants think in India. They think us
all mad anyway."

There was silence for a few minutes while Jan realised the fact that,
dislike it as she might, she seemed fated to be laid under considerable
obligation to Mr. Peter Ledgard.

"Where is Hugo?" she asked at last.

"My dear, you appear to have heard from Hugo since I h