ast-table in the small, paneled dining-room. At the same time
Beattie was reading a letter from Guy. As she finished it she looked up
and said:

"Anything interesting?"

"What does Guy say?" replied Rosamund. "Oh, here's a letter from
godfather! Perhaps he's coming down."

Rather hastily she tore open another envelope.

Later on in the morning, when Beattie was doing mysterious things in the
garden with Robin, Rosamund slipped out alone and made her way to
Cattle Market Lane. She came back just before lunch, looking unusually
preoccupied.

The day after Beattie had returned to London, a note from Rosamund told
her that the lease of Little Cloisters had been renewed for another six
months, till the end of March, 1901.

"And if old Dion comes back in the meanwhile, as I fully expect he
will?" said Guy, when Beattie told him of Rosamund's note.

"I suppose it is possible to sublet a house," said Beattie, looking
unusually inexpressive, Guy thought.

"They say at the Clubs the C.I.V. will be back before Christmas,
Beattie," said Guy.

"The Tenbys' lease of Number 5 is up."

"Yes, but do you think Dion can afford to run two houses?"

"Perhaps----" she stopped.

"I don't believe Rosamund will ever be got out of Welsley," said Guy.
"And I'm pretty sure you agree with me."

"I must go now," said Beattie gently. "I'm going to Queen Anne's
Mansions to tell the dear mother all about my visit to Welsley."

"When is she going there?"

"I don't know. She's very lazy about moving. She's not been out of
London since Dion sailed."

"I think she's the most delicate mother-in-law--I don't mean
physically--who has ever been born in the world."

Beattie looked down, and in a moment went out of the room without saying
anything more.

"Darling Beattie," murmured Guy, looking after his wife. "How she bears
her great disappointment."

For Beattie's sake far more than for his own he longed to have a child
in his home, a child of hers and his. But that would never be. And so
Beattie gave all the mother-love that was in her to Robin, but much
of it secretly. Guy knew that, and believed he knew the secret of her
reticence even with Robin. She loved Robin, as it were, from a distance;
only his mother must love him cheek to cheek, lips to lips, heart to
heart, and his father as men love the sons they think of as the bravery
and strength of the future.

But even Guy did not know how much his wife loved Robin, how many
burie