uspecting.

When she slipped back into Sir Charles's room, she found Miss Clifford
in a chair by the window, knitting.

"He's just waked up," she said, rising and coming towards her. "You've
had a good nap, haven't you, Charlie?"

"Oh, yes, once I managed to get to sleep. Therese would keep coming in
and fidgeting around my pillow; she can't seem to let me alone."

"She does so want to be useful, poor child," the old lady made excuse
gently. "You can't blame her if she doesn't know much about nursing.
I finally insisted on her going and lying down. I thought she looked
very tired, as though she hadn't slept well."

Esther felt annoyed, particularly after what the doctor had said about
trying to keep Lady Clifford out of the room.

"I hope I haven't stayed out too long," she said with compunction,
glancing at her watch.

"Not a bit of it. You must get fresh air. I hope you'll go often with
my nephew; it is good for him too. I'll go and get my tea now. You'll
be wanting yours, too, no doubt," and with a kindly pat on Esther's
shoulder she quitted the room.

"Is my son coming in after tea, nurse?" inquired the old man feebly.

"Yes, in a few minutes."

"I have something I want to say to him. Will you leave us alone?"

"Of course," she promised, smiling.

Sir Charles closed his eyes, then spoke without opening them:

"Where's Lady Clifford?"

"I expects she's still lying down, Sir Charles, but I'm not sure.
Would you like to see her?"

"No, no, not at all, not at all. I'd like to speak to my son alone; I
don't want her to interrupt us."

"I'll see to it, Sir Charles; don't worry."

He appeared satisfied. When some minutes later Roger came in, Esther
left him with his father, merely cautioning him against staying too
long. Roger watched her till the door had closed behind her, then he
drew a chair beside the bed. He saw that the old man was fumbling
ineffectually in the effort to get at something under his pillow.

"Here, I'll do that for you," Roger said, coming to his aid. "What is
it, anyhow?"

"Only that copy of my will. I want you to put it away again. No good
leaving it about for people to pry into."

Roger smiled at the invalid's native cautiousness. He had to lift his
head before he was able to extract the document, planted under the very
centre of the pillow.

"Pretty safe there, eh?" Sir Charles commented with a gleam of humour.
"Just as well, just as well. Take it now a